http://www.legacy.com/DailyBreeze/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=118006918
http://www.legacy.com/FresnoBee/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=118001219
http://www.insidesocal.com/soccer/2008/09/a-life-well-lived.html
Monday, September 29, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Maria
Devon was my computer teacher at Griffith Adult School, and writing about her breaks my heart. She was a wonderful person who inspired and influence many people around her, and when I think of her the very first thing that comes to my mind is her smile, so I a smile too. I still remember the way she used to talk to me and I feel her supporting hand resting on my shoulder. She was so sweet that really hurts to think that she’s gone. I know she is in heaven surrounded by angels welcoming her. She’ll never be forgotten. She’ll be always in my heart.
With Great Sadness my Deepest Condolence,
Maria
With Great Sadness my Deepest Condolence,
Maria
Andrea Brodsly
I worked with Diane in the early 90's while she was at Jefferson in Clovis. I remember her talking about her kids all the time, being involved in the kids soccer. It is hard to believe that her little girl had grown up to be a teacher just like her mom. I am so sorry to hear of Devon's passing. My thoughts will be with you.
Andrea Brodsly
Andrea Brodsly
Parking for Funeral on Monday
Just a quick note about the memorial services on Monday. If at all possible please carpool as there is limited parking. If you have any questions please send an email to: rememberingdevonmarkert@gmail.com.
See you all on Monday.
See you all on Monday.
Bill Saleebey
Waiting For the Yellow Rose to Bloom
It was January 24, 1980 and I was staying with Lou and Di in their apartment the day before my final oral exam for my doctorate at UCLA. I had fallen asleep, and in the middle of the night, they came running out of their bedroom, headed to the hospital. Devon Danielle Markert was born the next day, and I remember her birth as if it were yesterday. I was always Uncle Bill to Dev and Cory. Lou is my best friend, and I have seen Devon grow from that little kid with the bright blue eyes and crooked grin to the wonderful accomplished woman that she became. She was always the sweetest, kindest and most positive person you could find.
The Markerts stayed with me in Berkeley in the early 80s, and I stayed with them in Pleasanton and visited them often in Fresno and Clovis. I remember Devon playing soccer and we watched the movie Wildcats together with Cory and my son Billy. We were family. The ultimate honor was when Devon and Noureddin asked me to perform their wedding ceremony, which I did at my home. They took many pictures in front of the yellow rose plant in my front yard. I am hoping that another yellow rose blooms so I can take it to the memorial service on Monday.
I was reading the other entries on the blog, and it reminded me that we all knew Devon in a different way, a different context. Noureddin as her husband and love of her life, her parents, step-parents, and brother Cory, as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, friends,co-workers, and of course Poppy. I always loved that Devon called me Uncle Bill. To her I was no less an uncle than her biological uncles. To me she was simply a niece. A niece I was quite proud of at that! I loved hearing Lou telling about her accomplishments at work.
The death of a young person is especially hard to understand and to take. It is deeply sad, and it hurts. But from this, as Devon would say, come lessons, strenghth and inspiration. What would Devon want? I think she would want us to stay connected to one another, especially her friends and cousins. She would want us to go on with our lives, and to remember her. We will always remember Devon Markert. She was one of a kind: wife, daughter, sister, cousin, friend, co-worker, mentor, teacher. She knew what people needed, as her friend said. She was a great hostess, if not the neatest. I remember visiting her and Noureddin in Long Beach shortly after her diagnosis. She had a big spread of cheese and crackers on the table when we arrived, even though she didn't feel well. She never complained.
We are all better for having had Devon in our lives. Her life was brief, but she made the best of it. We all have our unique memories of her, which no one can alter or take away. We also should be inspired by Devon's example to be kind, upbeat, generous, loving and to enjoy what life has to offer. I urge everyone to hang in there as she would have done and would have wanted.
I am waiting for that next yellow rose to bloom, and I will keep it forever in her memory.
I'll miss her...
Uncle Bill Saleebey
It was January 24, 1980 and I was staying with Lou and Di in their apartment the day before my final oral exam for my doctorate at UCLA. I had fallen asleep, and in the middle of the night, they came running out of their bedroom, headed to the hospital. Devon Danielle Markert was born the next day, and I remember her birth as if it were yesterday. I was always Uncle Bill to Dev and Cory. Lou is my best friend, and I have seen Devon grow from that little kid with the bright blue eyes and crooked grin to the wonderful accomplished woman that she became. She was always the sweetest, kindest and most positive person you could find.
The Markerts stayed with me in Berkeley in the early 80s, and I stayed with them in Pleasanton and visited them often in Fresno and Clovis. I remember Devon playing soccer and we watched the movie Wildcats together with Cory and my son Billy. We were family. The ultimate honor was when Devon and Noureddin asked me to perform their wedding ceremony, which I did at my home. They took many pictures in front of the yellow rose plant in my front yard. I am hoping that another yellow rose blooms so I can take it to the memorial service on Monday.
I was reading the other entries on the blog, and it reminded me that we all knew Devon in a different way, a different context. Noureddin as her husband and love of her life, her parents, step-parents, and brother Cory, as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, friends,co-workers, and of course Poppy. I always loved that Devon called me Uncle Bill. To her I was no less an uncle than her biological uncles. To me she was simply a niece. A niece I was quite proud of at that! I loved hearing Lou telling about her accomplishments at work.
The death of a young person is especially hard to understand and to take. It is deeply sad, and it hurts. But from this, as Devon would say, come lessons, strenghth and inspiration. What would Devon want? I think she would want us to stay connected to one another, especially her friends and cousins. She would want us to go on with our lives, and to remember her. We will always remember Devon Markert. She was one of a kind: wife, daughter, sister, cousin, friend, co-worker, mentor, teacher. She knew what people needed, as her friend said. She was a great hostess, if not the neatest. I remember visiting her and Noureddin in Long Beach shortly after her diagnosis. She had a big spread of cheese and crackers on the table when we arrived, even though she didn't feel well. She never complained.
We are all better for having had Devon in our lives. Her life was brief, but she made the best of it. We all have our unique memories of her, which no one can alter or take away. We also should be inspired by Devon's example to be kind, upbeat, generous, loving and to enjoy what life has to offer. I urge everyone to hang in there as she would have done and would have wanted.
I am waiting for that next yellow rose to bloom, and I will keep it forever in her memory.
I'll miss her...
Uncle Bill Saleebey
Julie Pinkston
I clicked on Devon's blog last weekend---just checking, hopefully, to see if she had posted one last entry since her poignant entry "500 Miles". I couldn't believe what I saw instead: an incredible bouquet of loving tributes from her friends, colleagues, and students! It was as if the seeds of friendship Devon had sown in so many hearts had sprouted overnight from all the tears shed for her and blossomed into a beautiful garden!
As someone who likes to garden, I have observed this phenomenon after a good soaking rain and it confirms my belief that much goes on unseen that we have little control over. I remembered how after her second surgery last summer I tried to help Devon start a garden, bringing her a pot, soil and seeds for radishes, nasturtiums and sunflowers. I see now how much she already knew about planting seeds---in human hearts and minds.
Devon is just a few months younger than my older daughter, Jennifer, and they played together often as young children. She was the youngest and smallest cousin for a few years, but it was evident very early that Devon was a force to be reckoned with! The strong wills of both her grandmothers showed up in Devon! I would watch her playing in the crowd of cousins as a small child. Tiny Devon would focus her blue eyes intently on finding an opening, then launch herself into the the midst of things with fierce determination, laughing with gusto at being part of the action.
We were disappointed when Devon and her family moved away to Fresno, but when the girls were in their early teens, I took a job transfer to Fresno so my family also moved there. It isn't easy when you are a teenager needing your own space, but I never heard Devon complain about having to share her house with me and my two girls for a few months. (Maybe it helped that once in a while Aunt Julie would cook a somewhat edible meal!)
As a teen, Devon showed the same focus and determination I had seen in her as a small child, exceeding expectations in school and sports---in spite of life being often rearranged at home. Although she otherwise seemed quite independent and self-confident, the social acceptance and comaraderie of her close circle of friends was very important to her, providing a much needed balance of youthful fun and establishing connections she would rely on for years to come.
Devon graduated and left Fresno and I didn't see her much for a few years, but had news of her college success, her stay in Spain, and her marriage to Noureddin.
After I moved back "home" to So Cal in 2004, I saw Devon more frequently--at family birthdays and holidays usually. One family Christmas 2 years ago, I watched this poised and lovely young woman across the room, enthusiastically playing games with her younger cousins and laughing uproariously (her infectious laugh!) It struck me that not only had Devon become a mature adult member of society with a responsible job, a college degree, and loving husband, but she seemed to have selected the best attributes of various family members and role models--parents, grandparents, teachers, friends, etc, and incorporated them along with her own unique personality into someone who gave back her very best in full measure to the people she was with, young and old. Her grandmothers would both have been proud of her---getting together with family, playing games, talking, laughing, taking pictures... just enjoying life to the fullest! I was very happy for my young niece, who had done so much in so few years. Devon was so many things to so many people: a rising star, an angel, a precious flower, bright, beautiful, courageous, determined, devoted, loving wife, daughter, granddaughter, friend, teacher.
We could list all the adjectives and all the nouns and then start on the verbs in talking of Devon. I am more of an observer, but Devon was definitely a person of action. I can hear her saying---not sure if I remember or if I'm projecting what I need to hear---"Just Do It, Don't worry whether you have it right or what people will think, Just Say It!" Definitely Devon would tell us: "Go, See the World, Reach Out to people, Smile, Laugh, Love life, Love each other every day you are given, for you don't know how many days you will have.
One can not comprehend why someone young, healthy and vibrant like Devon should get brain cancer or why our medical system couldn't come up with a cure for her. She fought the tumor with such amazing courage and determination. It was unthinkable that our Devon couldn't persuade the experts to do what needed to be done to help her. We all wanted to believe if anyone could beat the odds, Devon would. I watched her fight back from three surgeries, chemo, radiation and more chemo, wanting to do more, wishing I knew more that might help her. But we ran out of time and her body just couldn't come back anymore. It is so very hard to say goodbye when it seems you've just barely said hello. But I knew I had to be there to witness her leaving us last Friday nite.
Devon has done her 500 miles, and left us to carry her spirit forward in our lives. Thank you, Ruthie and all of you for thinking of this way to honor Devon and keep her memory alive. It is especially appropriate for someone who embraced technology and lived connectedness!
Thank you, dear Devon, for all you gave to each of us. My heart is with Noureddin, Diana, Lou, Cory, Poppy, Asako, Alan, Marla, Jason and all of Devon's family and friends as you grieve her loss. We will miss you.
With all my love,
Aunt Julie
As someone who likes to garden, I have observed this phenomenon after a good soaking rain and it confirms my belief that much goes on unseen that we have little control over. I remembered how after her second surgery last summer I tried to help Devon start a garden, bringing her a pot, soil and seeds for radishes, nasturtiums and sunflowers. I see now how much she already knew about planting seeds---in human hearts and minds.
Devon is just a few months younger than my older daughter, Jennifer, and they played together often as young children. She was the youngest and smallest cousin for a few years, but it was evident very early that Devon was a force to be reckoned with! The strong wills of both her grandmothers showed up in Devon! I would watch her playing in the crowd of cousins as a small child. Tiny Devon would focus her blue eyes intently on finding an opening, then launch herself into the the midst of things with fierce determination, laughing with gusto at being part of the action.
We were disappointed when Devon and her family moved away to Fresno, but when the girls were in their early teens, I took a job transfer to Fresno so my family also moved there. It isn't easy when you are a teenager needing your own space, but I never heard Devon complain about having to share her house with me and my two girls for a few months. (Maybe it helped that once in a while Aunt Julie would cook a somewhat edible meal!)
As a teen, Devon showed the same focus and determination I had seen in her as a small child, exceeding expectations in school and sports---in spite of life being often rearranged at home. Although she otherwise seemed quite independent and self-confident, the social acceptance and comaraderie of her close circle of friends was very important to her, providing a much needed balance of youthful fun and establishing connections she would rely on for years to come.
Devon graduated and left Fresno and I didn't see her much for a few years, but had news of her college success, her stay in Spain, and her marriage to Noureddin.
After I moved back "home" to So Cal in 2004, I saw Devon more frequently--at family birthdays and holidays usually. One family Christmas 2 years ago, I watched this poised and lovely young woman across the room, enthusiastically playing games with her younger cousins and laughing uproariously (her infectious laugh!) It struck me that not only had Devon become a mature adult member of society with a responsible job, a college degree, and loving husband, but she seemed to have selected the best attributes of various family members and role models--parents, grandparents, teachers, friends, etc, and incorporated them along with her own unique personality into someone who gave back her very best in full measure to the people she was with, young and old. Her grandmothers would both have been proud of her---getting together with family, playing games, talking, laughing, taking pictures... just enjoying life to the fullest! I was very happy for my young niece, who had done so much in so few years. Devon was so many things to so many people: a rising star, an angel, a precious flower, bright, beautiful, courageous, determined, devoted, loving wife, daughter, granddaughter, friend, teacher.
We could list all the adjectives and all the nouns and then start on the verbs in talking of Devon. I am more of an observer, but Devon was definitely a person of action. I can hear her saying---not sure if I remember or if I'm projecting what I need to hear---"Just Do It, Don't worry whether you have it right or what people will think, Just Say It!" Definitely Devon would tell us: "Go, See the World, Reach Out to people, Smile, Laugh, Love life, Love each other every day you are given, for you don't know how many days you will have.
One can not comprehend why someone young, healthy and vibrant like Devon should get brain cancer or why our medical system couldn't come up with a cure for her. She fought the tumor with such amazing courage and determination. It was unthinkable that our Devon couldn't persuade the experts to do what needed to be done to help her. We all wanted to believe if anyone could beat the odds, Devon would. I watched her fight back from three surgeries, chemo, radiation and more chemo, wanting to do more, wishing I knew more that might help her. But we ran out of time and her body just couldn't come back anymore. It is so very hard to say goodbye when it seems you've just barely said hello. But I knew I had to be there to witness her leaving us last Friday nite.
Devon has done her 500 miles, and left us to carry her spirit forward in our lives. Thank you, Ruthie and all of you for thinking of this way to honor Devon and keep her memory alive. It is especially appropriate for someone who embraced technology and lived connectedness!
Thank you, dear Devon, for all you gave to each of us. My heart is with Noureddin, Diana, Lou, Cory, Poppy, Asako, Alan, Marla, Jason and all of Devon's family and friends as you grieve her loss. We will miss you.
With all my love,
Aunt Julie
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