Obit: Devos, Alfred L. (1886 - 1959)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Devos, Soulen, Rand, Rush, Marsh, Skroch, Harcey, Upton, Musil, O’Leary, Forman, Grossenbach, Dixon, Kauffman, Schwank, Nelson, Trindal, Hales, Krueger, Gorsegner, Anderson, Herrick, Buchmiller, Henrickson, Wagner, Arndt, Wollum, Cattanach, Joern, Thomas, Hoehne, Kirby, Drechstrak, hanson, Cole, Richard, Gile, Hoffman, Guell, Paape, Epding, Nikolay, Holmes

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) October 8, 1959

Devos, Alfred L. (27 November 1886 - 4 October 1959)

Funeral services, with Masonic rites, were held Tuesday afternoon from the Masonic Temple for Alfred L. Devos, 72, of Neillsville, who died here early Sunday morning.  The Rev. Virgil Holmes, pastor of the Neillsville Methodist Church, officiated.  Burial will be made later in the family Mausoleum in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

Mr. Devos was born November 27, 1886, in Milwaukee.  He was the son of the late John L. and Elizabeth (Soulen) Devos.  He attended grade and high school in Milwaukee.  In 1909 he received a degree from the University of Michigan, and 1911 he was graduated from the law school there.

In September of that year he came to Neillsville and became associated with the late Spencer Marsh in the practice of law.  In 1914 Mr. Marsh moved to California, and Mr. Devos practiced alone until January 1919, when he became associated with Walter J. Rush.  In 1936, E. P. Skroch joined the firm and the three men practiced together until 1946, when Mr. Rush retired; since then the firm has been known as, Devos and Skroch.

Mr. Devos served as city attorney of Neillsville from 1916 to 1923, and again from 1942 to 1956.  He also served as city attorney for Greenwood and Granton for many years, and from 1923 to 1927 he served as district attorney of Clark County.  In 1942 he was appointed public administrator of Clark County and was serving in that capacity at the time of his death.

He was a member of the Neillsville Methodist Church, where he served as a trustee for 43 years.  He was a lay leader and was a member of its Men’s club.

Mr. Devos was very active in Masonic work, both locally and in state affairs.  He became a Master Mason on May 1, 1913, in the Neillsville Lodge, No. 163.  He also was a member of the Neillsville Chapter No. 66; Royal Arch Masons; the Neillsville Commandery, No. 36; the Eau Claire Consistory; Zor Shrine of Madison; and became a 33^rd degree in the fall of 1958.

He served as Grand Master of the Masons of Wisconsin in 1944; was a Past Master, Past High Priest and Past Commander of the local Masonic bodies; and served in several other offices during his years in Masonic work.  At the time of his death he was serving as Recorder of the Commandery.  He also was a Past Patron of Carmi Chapter, No. 60, Order of Eastern Star, and Past Grand Patron of the Order of Eastern Star of Wisconsin.  He also served on the Board of Directors of the Masonic home at Dousman.

Mr. Devos was a charter member of the Kiwanis club and also was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, No. 198. 

He was married to the former Alta Rand, who survives.  He is also survived by a brother, John Devos of Seattle, Wash.

The Bergemann Funeral home made funeral arrangements.  The Rev. Frank B. Harcey, chaplain, was in charge of the Masonic rites.  The Clark County Bar association attended the service in a group.

Two hymns, "Eye Hath Not Seen" and "The Lord’s Prayer" were sung by Gavin Upton, accompanied by Mrs. Jas. A. Musil.

Out of town people here for the services were:  Mr. and Mrs. Paris Rand, and Miss Virginia Rand, Fond du Lac; Mrs. Patrick O’Leary, Douglas Devos, Mr. and Mrs. Leland Forman, and Paul W. Grossenbach, Milwaukee; Mr. and Mrs. Donald Dixon and son, Greenwood; Donald Kauffman, Frank Schwank, Mrs. G. W. Nelson, Dorothie Trindal, Mrs. Roy Hales, Mrs. Hazel Trindal, Mrs. Gilbert Krueger, Clarence Gorsegner and Everett Gorsegner, all of Loyal.

Alf Anderson, Stevens Point; Al Herrick, Augusta; Edward L. Buchmiller, and L. E. Henrickson, Marshfield; S. Wagner and Ray Arndt, Thorp; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wollum, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Cattanach, Owen; B. V. Joern, F. W. Thomas, Eau Claire; C. C. Hoehne, Greenwood; A. L. Kirby, Humbird; L. Drechstrak, Hans Hanson, Mrs. Kathryn Cole, Mrs. A. C. Hagen, Mrs. Cliff nelson, Mrs. Mahlon Richard, and Miss Alice Rush, all of Black River Falls; Gibson Gile and George Hoffman, Merrillan; Corwin C. Guell, Thorp; Karl Paape, Greenwood; Mrs. Arthur Epding, Wausau; and Frank Nikolay, Abbotsford.