Cornelia N. DeVall

Cornelia DeVall, 91, of Portage, MI, beloved wife, mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, September 28, 2021.  She was the wife of Carl DeVall for 70 years. Born in Kalamazoo, MI, she was the daughter of the late Cornelia and Henry Nieboer and sister of Harm Nieboer (Arlene) and Kathryn Vandeven (Neil).  She was preceded in death by brothers, Al, John, Jim and sister Dorothy Searles. Cornelia was very active as a servant for Christ in the church.  She and Carl served in many areas in church during their married life. Together, they lead a class for people with disabilities, showing the love of God every week through this service.  She was a loving support to her husband sharing any responsibilities he may have had while serving in the church. Cornelia’s life centered around her family.  She loved to be in kitchen.  Her “noodles and corn” recipe, as well as her pumpkin bread and banana bread recipes have already been passed down and enjoyed by generations of family.  She always made sure that her family and loved ones were well fed, which meant there was always plenty to eat at the dinner table.  She was a tireless worker, sometimes working two jobs to improve the quality of life for her children in any way possible. A family outing that Cornelia enjoyed was spending time on their boat out on the water at Gull Lake and Lake Michigan with her family.  In addition to her husband, Carl, Cornelia is survived by three children: Connie DeVall, of Kalamazoo; Tom (LuAnne) DeVall, of Troutville, VA; Steven DeVall of Kalamazoo, MI; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.