David Harold DeVoe

1932 - 2008

DeVoe

David Harold DeVoe was born to Harold and Louise DeVoe on April 29, 1932, and grew up in Oregon and California. He graduated from high school in San Diego in 1950. Shortly after graduating, he moved to Juneau with his parents and siblings, traveling on the Princess Elizabeth.
Dave served two years in the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in Alaska from 1951 to 1953. He served on the Bering Sea Patrol and was a lighthouse keeper on Sentinel Island. He graduated from Oregon State College in 1957. It was there he met Carol Hiemke. They were married in South Pasadena, Calif., on June 7, 1957.
Dave returned to Alaska in 1961 with his wife and young family to accept a job as a city planner in Anchorage. Later, he worked for the State of Alaska Department of Transportation, Environmental Section. In 1984, he transferred to Fairbanks. He retired in 1987 after 25 years of state service.
Dave enjoyed cycling, cross country skiing, hiking, camping, backpacking, canoeing, traveling and vacationing in many countries throughout the world. Dave volunteered frequently in his church and community organizations.
He was an avid cyclist, taking his family on several long-distance bicycle tours, the first being the 1976 Bikecentenial tour from Colorado to Oregon with his wife and three teenage daughters. This tour inspired many more long trips, pedaling approximately 20,000 miles.
Dave climbed many peaks in the Chugach Range and was on the organizing committee that created Chugach State Park. He also served on the committee that developed the Anchorage bicycle paths.
He is survived by his wife, Carol DeVoe; daughters and sons-in-law, Sharon and Bob Baker, Donna and Denny DiFolco of Fairbanks and Jeannette and Bob Fairchild of Anchorage; grandchildren, Gina, Davya, Daniel, Jenna and Eric; sister, Caroline Earl; and brothers, Don DeVoe and Roger DeVoe of Anchorage.
Dave passed away in his sleep Wednesday, June 25, 2008. A memorial service will be held in Fairbanks on July 24.
Memorial contributions may be made to: The Nature Conservancy, The Wilderness Society, The League of American Bicyclists or Adventure Cyclist.
Arrangements were by Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home.