Obituary of Devina Leola Dennis
Devina Leola Dennis
(February 19, 1926 - October 9, 2022)
Devina Leola Dennis of Camrose, Alberta, passed away on Sunday, October 9, 2022, at the age of 96 years.
Born to Laura and Arthur Rasmussen on February 19, 1926, in Edberg, Alberta on a farm two miles west of town. Left to cherish her memory are Dennis Larcombe (nephew in British Columbia); her healthcare team; and many friends and cousins.
She was predeceased by her parents, Arthur and Laura; sister Louella (Leroy) Ramsey; and her husband Gordon, who passed away on September 14, 2020.
Devina attended school in Edberg for eleven years, walking two and a half miles back and forth from home, and never missed a day of school. She went to Vancouver to finish her grade 12 at Britannia High School and earned a University of British Columbia entrance. She was accepted to the Vancouver General School of Nursing on January 1, 1944, graduated on January 1, 1947, and became a Registered Nurse.
She started her nursing career at Vancouver General Hospital and then went to Los Angeles, California to work briefly at Pasadena Hospital. She went back to Edberg for the holidays and met Gordon. Devina worked at St. Mary’s Hospital two years before she got married. They were married on July 2, 1949, in the Edberg Lutheran Church. The couple moved to Camrose in 1952.
Devina was one of the first nurses who worked in the Camrose Health Unit. She had sixteen years of experience as a Community Nurse. Afterwards, she worked at Rosehaven Care Center as a nurse supervisor for twenty-five years. She spent more than fifty years in the nursing field.
Devina was very active in the community. She spent sixty years in the Order of the Eastern Star. She was also an avid golfer, awarded a lifetime membership to the Camrose Golf Club in 1988. She scored for the Ladies’ Professional Golf Association (LPGA) golf tournaments for seven and a half years in Florida and one year at the Edmonton Golf Club. She spent sixty-five years golfing. In addition to golfing, she also enjoyed skiing and curling.
Gordon and Devina traveled to many countries and spent twenty-eight winters in St. Petersburg, Florida. Throughout their stay in Florida, they witnessed thirty-five spacecraft launches from Cape Canaveral.
Devina loved gardening, reading, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. She was a courageous woman who approached each day with grace, determination, and a wonderful sense of humor. Her wit made us laugh and was a compassionate support when we cried.
She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
A Graveside Service was held at 3:00 p.m., Monday, October 17, 2022, at the Camrose Valleyview Cemetery, officiated by the Rev. Brian Hunter.
If family and friends so desire, memorial contributions in Devina's memory may be made to the charity of one's choice.
