Lucy Cline

Hi Ruthie,

Thanks for continuing Devon's blog. She was an international girl with friends all over the place, so this is a wonderful way to keep those who knew her in touch. I lived (with Irene) in the apartment above Devon, Tonya, and Lana in Isla Vista in 1998. So many great memories from those days - throwing parties and sharing laughs. I remember our Wine and Cheese Party on DP, dressing up for Halloween, and celebrating "Y2K" New Years together. Always the gracious hostess, she invited me and my friend to stay with her while we were backpacking through Granada, Spain in 2002. It was here that I met Noureddin and saw what a special connection they had; I was thrilled to attend their wedding back in California. (What a gorgeous bride she was!) She was so happy with him, and I was so happy that she found such a strong love. She passed away the day after I sent them my wedding invitation (I was crossing my fingers she could come to the Bay Area for the event - just like I've been crossing my fingers since her diagnosis). Noureddin, my heart goes out to you and I'm sending all my love and thoughts to you as you cope during these difficult days. I want to extend my deepest sympathy to Devon's family too; she was an amazing person with a warm heart and a contagious laugh. She had an uncanny ability to make you feel at ease, no matter what. I consider myself one of the lucky ones - lucky to have called her a friend and felt the glow of her radiant, kind soul. Dear Devon, my memories of you bring a smile to my face, though for now they compete with the tears over losing you. You are gone too soon - but remembered always and with love.
Lucy Cline

Where to send Cards for Noureddin & Family

For those of you who have asked where you can send cards to please mail to the following address:

226 Euclid Ave Apt A
Long Beach, CA 90803

And in lieu of flowers (per Devon's wishes) donations would be appreciated. Tonya is working on a trust or a place where people may donate if they wish to. Stay tuned regarding this...

Funeral Arrangements

The funeral service for Devon Markert will take place at:

Green Hills Memorial Park
27501 South Western Avenue
Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca 90275
www.greenhillsmemorial.com

Monday, September 29 2008 @ 3:00pm

Please join us in celebrating Devon's life!

Irene

Devon and I met at Santa Barbara in 1998 - she was my downstairs neighbor on Trigo Road, along with Nichole, Lana and Tonya. She became one of my close friends in the SB years and beyond. We were both planning on being in Europe during the summer of 1999, so we decided to meet up in Italy and travel the majority of it together.Devon was *the* perfect travel buddy and I have said that to this day... she was so mellow, so cool, so fun, so thoughtful, so amazing... I often think of the memories from that trip.She put a quote in her Europe '99 photo album that I stole and have put in my album - I'm not sure who wrote it: "You will bring back pots and pictures. A sheaf of photographs. A jingle of coins. But you will bring back more. A vision of a wide world. Remembered laughter. New friends. New understanding."And that's our girl.One thing I can say about Dev is that she *lived* her short life. I don't mean to be crass, but she grabbed it by the balls and truly lived it. We can only hope to do that in our own lives.I have so many wonderful memories of my fun, crazy, incredible, beautiful Devon. Always a smile on her face, always so positive and supportive. WE are the blessed ones, for having known her and loved her and to have had her a part of our life.And Ruthie, YES, she was the best gift-giver. She gave me the most beautiful journal before I went for Australia - wrapped in a beautiful scarf (she said she learned that from Asako) - and the journal is the only one I still have and own. I wrote in that thing nearly everyday during my time there. I had always intended to have journals - in fact, when I was much younger I wrote in them - but this is the only one I've kept. She knew a thing or two whether she knew it or not. :)From nights past, to tonight, to many nights ahead: Devon, I love you, you have been and always will be a ray of sunshine in my life. I miss you so much it hurts.

-Irene

Arash

Devon,

We will continue to miss you long into our years. We met in college, a time so blissful and full of warm memories for me that you are forever etched into that time which I hold so dear in my heart. Irene loved you dearly. Irene loves you dearly. And through your friendship with her, we became friends. I got to know your smile, which I see right now in my mind as I type this note. I became familiar with your grace and the sense that you had a kind soul about you. I wish this wasn't so Devon. I truly do. Be at peace and may you reunite with all your loved ones when the time comes.

Arash

Clara

Ruthie, even though, you don't know me, I want to say thank you very much for posting Devon's blog. She was so very special person to me.How can I express how much Devon means to me. The words just don't seem to be enough. I wish she'd never gone away. She was my inspiration in everything. I'll never forget her. Goodbye is not the right word, as I will see her again one day, until then, I will meet her in my dreams and hold her in my heart. My deepest condolences to Devon's family and friends. My prayers are with you.Please I would like to give her my last goodbye.

Fondly,

Clara

Marla Pendley

In so many ways, I am the luckiest person I know. She was a friend, a sister, a confidant and a teacher; I am so lucky to have been blessed to know her and learn from her.

I met Devon while at UCSB, thanks to our mutual friend Camilla. I worked with Camilla, who was in charge of a Conversation Partners program that matched UCSB students - Devon - with the international students for a little coffee talk. Devon always made friends from all over the world. Camilla and Devon became good friends, and Camilla brought me along to one of Devon's parties on DP. Oh, the good old days. But Devon and I were always two ships passing in the night. I was studying abroad while she was in Santa Barbara, I came back and she went to Spain. But when I returned from Europe the second time, it was time for Camilla to move back to Denmark. We met up for a goodbye party for Camilla, and from that point on our rivers finally came together.

At times we were both busy with school (her Master's and my credential) and work, but whenever we stole a moment to see each other, it was as if no time had passed at all. I was very alone in the OC/Long Beach area, and she was kind enough to introduce me to her friends. Sometimes I wonder if my mom, who passed away almost 10 years ago, sent me to her. Devon always knew what everyone needed, and I certainly needed her and a community of girlfriends.
Not only did she know what everyone needed, she knew exactly how to either gently put them in their place or soothe their souls. Admittedly, I have not always been the best person in the world. I had made several bad decisions (an internal meltdown), and she kindly let me know what an idiot I was. I had a short bout with the early stages of cancer, and looking back on my experience I cannot help but feel ridiculous. I was such a baby compared to how strong she has been. But she was there for me, encouraged me, helped me see the bigger picture. She always had such a positive perspective; her glass was always at least a little more than half-full, no matter what. Her perspective had always been that life was too short and too precious to take for granted and waste being depressed.

She amazes me. I have always been simultaneously in awe, inspired, proud and envious of Devon and her ambition. Her work at her school, the programs that she created, the work that she did in Sacramento, the relationships she developed with her students: she will always be my mentor. She inspired me to continue through the credential program and be a teacher myself. She encouraged me to go through with a summer Master's program back at UCSB. I owe so much of who I am today to her.

One day, sipping Noureddin's amazing mint tea, we talked deeply about our childhoods and what we wanted out of our lives. One thing that came up: we wanted our parents to be happy. She spoke of her mom's love of budget travel and laid back nesting attitude, and I spoke of my dad's similar frugality. It clicked: they would be a perfect match. In essence, I got to pick Devon to be the sister I always wanted. After a few canceled coffee dates, our parents finally connected. Diana even trusted my dad to fly her out on a date in a four-seat Cessna, with an oil leak across the windshield. And she came back for more! They married in November 2006. Devon always knew what everyone needed - her mom needed a rock of a husband, my dad needed a solid woman who wasn't a floozy, and we both needed them to be happy.

Devon, always beautifully put together, thoughtful and gregarious, knew how to throw a party, in spite of her disinterest in housekeeping. She was an amazing hostess. She admitted that she didn't like cooking, but could throw hors d'oeuvres together and present them on a beautiful platter without ever thinking twice. After our parents married (both of whom have no interest in traditional Thanksgivings and Christmases), we tried our best to put on good ones, down to golden chargers under the dinner plates. And she always looked stunning, with her beautiful legs and model hands. I asked her a while back how she always kept them so perfect. Her answer "I don't do anything; Noureddin does the housework." I chuckled last night holding her hand for the last time - they were still perfect without a professional manicure.

Devon always made everything so beautiful. She was instrumental in designing our parents' wedding: countless orders on Nordstrom.com to find the perfect gown for her mother and dresses for us, the flowers, hair and makeup. Two and a half months later (after waiting what seemed and eternity for my then-fiance to get his US visa and move from Michigan to California), I told Devon that we had three weeks to plan another wedding - my own. There we were again, on Nordstrom.com. I was so blessed to have her by my side, and she was so gracious and beautiful in spite of her incessant headaches. This was February 2007, one month before her diagnosis. And she insisted on being there and helping me plan for my August church wedding. She threw the bridal shower, beautiful invitations and all, but couldn't even be there. She stood by my side at the alter again, my chosen sister.

I was with her much of the time in the hospitals, amazed at her progress and ability to reorganize entire hospital wards. She would not have been happy last night with Kaiser! Diana and I chuckled that she would have bossed them around in her pleasant manner until they got it straight.

Yesterday at the hospital, she looked so angelic. She has taught us all so many lessons, and I will never forget her ambition, caring nature, grace, intelligence, poise and beauty. Every moment she inspires me to be a better friend, a better person; I hope that I can live up to her example.