Lila LaVerne Miller DeVries Lewis' Obituary
Lila LaVerne Miller DeVries Lewis, of Colorado Springs, CO, passed away on Sunday, April 14, 2024 in Colorado Springs at the age of 87 years, 8 months and 4 days. A Memorial Service is scheduled for 10:30 AM Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Colorado Springs Primitive Baptist Church, with Elder Ray Moore officiating. Graveside Services will be at 10:00 AM on Monday, April 22, 2024 at Wheeler Cemetery in Wheeler, TX with Elder Norman Jones officiating.
Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Wheeler.
Lila LaVerne was born on August 10, 1936 in Brownfield, TX to the late Pearl and Viola Belle (Higgins) Miller. She graduated from Sweetwater High School in 1954. LaVerne was an excellent basketball player and was offered a scholarship to Sayre Junior College, but was unable to attend for lack of transportation. However, she went on to earn an Associates Degree in Accounting from Western Oklahoma State College in Altus, OK, later in life. She worked for many years as an Accounting Associate for Family Workplace Connection in Wilmington, Delaware. LaVerne lived in many different places throughout her life. Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Maryland, and Colorado several times. The last place she lived was also where she lived the longest; she was in Colorado Springs for the last 22 years. LaVerne was married to Ronald Louis DeVries from 1954 until 1965 and was later married to Reggie Lewis from 1976 until 1987. She lived in Shamrock, Texas for many years where all 5 of her children were born and raised. She and her kids have deep ties and longtime friendships with the people in Shamrock. These wonderful people were family to her and her home was always open to her children's friends, as were their homes to her children.
LaVerne enjoyed many hobbies over the years, including playing Bridge, painting, and playing just about any game the family was up for. She loved playing Scrabble, Turkey Tracks, Yahtzee and "Golf" with her kids and grandkids. She also enjoyed sports. She enjoyed playing volleyball and basketball in her adult life at Shamrock with her good friends, Alfa Skinner, Shirley Walker and Modene Scott. She also loved watching sports and was a fan of the Sooners, Dallas Cowboys, Colorado Rockies, Denver Nuggets, Air Force sports teams and any teams her grandchildren played for. She loved singing more than just about anything, especially during the last years of her life. She sang in the Senior Chorale of the Rockies. LaVerne loved and cherished her children and grandchildren and enjoyed telling anyone who would listen about her grandkids
She was preceded in death by her parents, Pearl and Viola Miller; one daughter, Christine (DeVries) Strickland; and 2 siblings, Nelva Jean “Jane” Miller Welch, Wilburn Ronald Miller, and an infant brother, Alvin Royce. Surviving siblings are William Arlen "Bee" Miller, Ruby Ardelle "Delle" Piccoli and Cheryl Miller Garcia.
Other survivors include 4 children, Rhonda (DeVries) Vinyard, Peter "Kent" DeVries, Kerri (Devries) Huffman and husband, Eric, and Lauren (DeVries) Walkup and husband, Mike; Also step-children, whom she loved as her own, Glen Henry Lewis, Tim Lewis and Regina Lewis; 13 grandchildren, Juliet Kirk Zick, Justin Kirk, Kevin DeVries, Shawn Robertson Snodgrass, Audrey Strickland Christy, Kaci Huffman Bowers, Travis Huffman, A.J. Huffman, Joseph Huffman, Kassady Huffman, Ashley Walkup, Michelle Walkup Compton and Morgan Walkup. 20 great-grandchildren, Keyre, Dawson, and Logan Zick, Reed and Sadie Snodgrass, Payton, Landry and Collins Christy, Clara and Rowan Bowers, Charlotte and Maeve Huffman, Jerrell Huffman, Cal Huffman, Luke and Wyatt Huffman, Addie, Levi and Judah Compton and June Walkup; and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.
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