Deva Lundquist

Deva Mae Lundquist was born on a warm sunny Saturday afternoon at 2:00 P.M., April 12, 1930, at the home of her parents, Leslie and Mabel Bycroft, in Mercer Township, Adams County, 8 miles southeast of Corning, Iowa. Deva entered eternal rest Monday, December 25, 2023, at the Lenox Care Center, at the age of ninety-three years.  At birth she weighed 9 obs. 4 oz. and had lots of brown hair and dark blue eyes.  Being the first child and having Grandma Cordell to help care for her, she had lots of attention.  She was rather shy and timid and never liked to have her mother leave her when she was young.

Deva remembered how thrilled she was when Santa Claus brought her, her first tricycle.  When she was six Deva got a piano and took music lessons one year.  Then she got a baby sister, Joan, when Deva was seven and she never did get back to taking more piano lessons.  That is one thing Deva would still like to have continued doing.  When Deva was a child, her family always went to town (Corning) on Saturday afternoon to sell the eggs and cream and to buy groceries.  Deva always got an ice cream cone at the drug store just before they started home.

Deva’s school days began in the spring of 1936 when she entered kindergarten in a rural school for three months before entering first grade in the fall.  Her first teacher was a tall, broad-shouldered man-teacher and she was scared to death of him and also of all the “big kids”.  Deva attended rural school at Mercer Center through eighth grade.  Next, she attended Corning High School graduating with the Class of 1948.  Since bus transportation wasn’t available, she drove a Model A Ford to school part time and stayed in Corning part time.  Deva took part in Y-teens, Science Club, and various other school activities when in high school.

During the summer following graduation, Deva enrolled in a 12-week teacher-training extension course from Cedar Falls, held in Creston.  In the fall of 1948, Deva began her teaching career at a rural school, Prescott #9, Adams County.  Deva noticed it was surely a different experience, being on the other side of the teacher’s desk.  After one year there, she taught two years at Mercer #6, then went northwest of Corning to a Norwegian community and taught 10 years, at Lincoln #9 near the Strand Lutheran Church.  Due to school re-organization many rural schools closed and Deva was transferred to Corning as a fourth-grade teacher.  Deva found this to be a huge change from only having one grade instead of all grades—Kindergarten through eighth.

Deva lived in Corning and thoroughly enjoyed her teaching experiences there and the participation in various school activities, social activities with the other teachers, BPW Organization, Wesleyan Service Guild, etc.  She was also active in the Lenox Methodist Church during all this time and taught 3^rd or 4^th grade Sunday School and Vacation Bible School when possible.  Deva also attended Summer School and Night School Classes to further her college education.

Early in the spring of 1964 Charles and Deva began dating.  They had known each other since their grade school days.  Deva attended Drake University for six weeks that summer. Then—on the hottest day of the summer, August 2, 1964 Charles and Deva were married at the Lenox Methodist Church at 3:00 P.M., by the Rev. Albert Clements.  It was a small wedding with only close relatives and friends.  After a reception in the church basement, they departed in a shower of rice for a week-long honeymoon in the Wisconsin Dells.  After living with Charles’s parents for about 10 days, their first home at 1507 Nodaway Street, Corning, Iowa was finally ready for occupancy.  Deva continued teaching fourth grade and Charles drove to the farm every day.  They soon saw that was inconvenient, so on March 13, 1965 they moved to their present home on the farm they purchased, 5 miles north of Lenox on Highway 49.  Then Deva did the driving to Corning to teach till the end of the 1965 school year in May.  That was the end of a 17-year teaching career.

On the worst day of the winter, January 12, 1966, David Charles arrived and their home would be bustling every day going forward.  David really was a good baby and brought Charles and Deva many, many hours of happiness.

Deva became a girls’ 4-H Leader when David was only two and continued for 10 years, taking David with her to most of the meetings and fairs, etc.  Deva felt that the 4-H work in which she participated was the most rewarding volunteer work she’d ever done.

Deva’s many hobbies included crocheting, needlework, reading, trying new recipes and crafts.  She crocheted many afghans and always enjoyed trying a different pattern.  Deva enjoyed quilting and she especially enjoyed quilting with her friends at the Mercer Center Church and in later years at the Stringtown Church.  She was an active member for both churches and enjoyed their fellowship. 

Deva was member of many groups during her life including: Stringtown Ladies Group, Adams County Farm Bureau Women, Porkettes, Cowbelles, Craft Club and the Lenox Legion Auxiliary.  She was a former Sunday School teacher and bible school teacher.  Deva was a member of the Corning Farmers Market with Charles for 28 years.  She was known as the “Best Cookie Maker” and also made delicious pies.  She spent countless hours with Charles in the garden tending to the vegetables.

Deva passed her time in later years embroidering pillowcases and dish towels.  She had a passion for reading and enjoyed doing word search puzzles.  She loved to spend time with family and friends, but especially time spent with the grandkids.  She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Left to cherish the memory of Deva is her son, David (Lynn) Lundquist of Lenox, Iowa; two grandchildren: Kyle (Liz) Phillips, Neola, Iowa; Kelsia Linthicum (significant other, Casper Price); five great-grandchildren: Adalynn, Noelle, Leah, Serena and Emmett; sister, Joan Mosby, Perry, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Doris West, Clarinda, Iowa; Alice Boozan, Warrenton, Missouri; nieces and nephews.

Preceding Deva in death were her husband, Charles in 2017; parents; and brother, Ed Bycroft.