Joe Roy Devish

Joe Roy Devish was born March 27, 1938, in Tacoma, Washington, to Roy and Ethel Devish. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1956 and went on to further studies at the College of Puget Sound. At the age of 14 Joe was asked to join the Chuck Heatley Dance Band to play the trumpet, and he continued with that band for several years. In 1957, Joe married longtime girlfriend, Sally Hemminger, whom he met while attending Stewart Jr High School. Together they had three daughters, Denise, Leslie and Jackie. Joe went to work for Demick Electric during his college years and then moved on to work for Carl T. Madsen Company where he eventually became a partner and then owner of the company and mentored many electrician apprentices. Joe became involved in NECA where he served as district vice president and was a member of Sunset Rotary. Joe and Sally became interested in American Field Services Student Foreign Exchange Program, and they hosted students from Germany and Panama. Joe became interested in boating and developed a condition well-known among boaters as “2 foot-itis.” He joined the Tacoma Yacht Club in 1977 where he later served as chairman of the board. Having been a member of DeMolay in high school, Joe went on to follow in his father’s footsteps and became a 32nd degree Mason and member of Afifi Shrine Association where he later became Potentate. Joe was also a member of Shrine Hospital Board in Portland, the Royal Order of Jesters, the Shrine Band and Afifi Shrine Yacht Club. Joe and Sally traveled extensively throughout Europe and Asia with longtime friends, Myron and Ardelle Heiberg, before Sally’s passing in 1998. In 2002 Joe and Lettie Hendrickson were introduced by mutual friends and were married in Maui in 2003. Several years of boating followed with family and Tacoma Yacht Club friends on their boat, “The Outlet,” the annual TYC summer cruises and other outings at the TYC outstations. Joe and Lettie enjoyed many years of annual Shrine crab feeds and other Shrine functions. There were annual trips to Sands of Kahana, their condo in Maui, where they enjoyed the views, sunshine and barbecue. Many years were spent traveling in their motorhome with friends and family, Joe frequently being surrounded by what he called his harem. Winters were spent as snowbirds in their motorhome in Arizona, New Mexico and finally at Outdoor Resort in Cathedral City, California, where Joe attended the ORPS Chapel and where he was eventually baptized by his friend, Chaplain Jim Gwinn. Joe passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his wife, Lettie, family members and close friends. Joe is survived by his beloved wife and caregiver, Lettie, and her daughter Julie (Amy Morrison) Johnson, his sister, Janet Schmidt, his daughters Denise (Steven) Pederson, Leslie Devish, A. Jacquelyn (Cliff) Quisenberry, his grandchildren, Joel Pederson, Hannah Pederson, Conner Quisenberry and Ryan Quisenberry, his brother-in-law, Gordon Hemminger, Sister-in-law, Joan (Mel) Milton. Joe also leaves behind his mother-in-law, Connie Bender, his sister-in-law, Sherri Martin, and his step children, Chris Miller, Carole (Jack) McQuade and Cheryl (Dave) Lane. Joe was a member of St. John of the Woods Catholic church where he regularly attended 8:00 o’clock mass and coffee hour. A service will be held in Joe’s honor at St. John’s when it is deemed safe to do so. The family would like to thank Dr. Frank Senecal, ARNP Amby Matheny, caregivers Priscilla, Jane and Kyong and Janis Stewart, as well as Beth and Shondria, CHI Franciscan Hospice. Remembrances may be made in Joe’s name to Shriners Hospitals for Children, St. John of the Woods or to the charity of your choice. 

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