Keith Phillip DeVillers

Keith Phillip DeVillers, 90, Wahpeton, ND, passed away on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at St. Catherine’s Care Facility. Visitation will be from 10:00 am to 11:00 am followed by a funeral Mass at 11:00 am, Saturday, November 16, 2024, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Wahpeton, ND. A lunch will be served immediately following the service at the church. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Wahpeton. 

Keith Phillip DeVillers was born on October 16, 1934, to Phillip and Agnes DeVillers in Kensal, ND. He attended elementary school, junior high and graduated from Kensal High School in 1952.

He was very proud of his life in Kensal, ND. He was always telling stories of working on the farm, helping his father on the rural mail route, taking care of his sister, singing in the choir, playing basketball, working at the farm implement dealership, cleaning cars for the Chevrolet Dealer and serving the Lord as altar boy at St. Johns’ Catholic Church.

Keith was joined in marriage with grade school sweetheart, Joyce Arlene Fredrickson on October 18, 1952, in Kensal, ND. Their journey in life started at NDSU where Keith attended class from 1952 to 1954. In the fall of 1954 they moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where Keith attended The University of Marquette, School of Dentistry. While attending school, he worked nights doing anything he could to support his family and his education. He worked for a local steam fitter/plumber and learned a trade that served him his entire life. There was nothing that Keith could not fix. He also worked part-time security for the Pinkerton Company of Wisconsin, where he developed his lifelong desire to protect his family. However, much to the dismay of his children, he was a “top notch” sleuth and was always, in his words, “keeping us from getting into trouble”. During the period of his education at Marquette, Keith and Joyce added a daughter (Jackie) and son (Jeffrey) to the family just to keep things interesting. In 1958, Keith graduated from Marquette School of Dentistry as a Doctor of Dental Surgery of which he was very proud. He never forgot his Alma Mater, nor his classmates and continued that connection throughout his life never missing a reunion or a chance to speak to them on the phone.

After graduation, Keith and Joyce decided to move back to North Dakota to raise their young family. Keith started his dental practice in Valley City, ND in 1958. Life’s journey took them to a beautiful home on 6th Avenue where their family grew with the addition of a daughter (Barbara) and a son (Damon). Their full life was filled with gardening, running a business and raising a young family.

Keith and Joyce were members of St. Catherine Catholic Church and made sure each of their children attended St. Catherine School. Keith was a community supporter as a member of the Lions Club, the Jaycees, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Elks Club and the VCSC V-500 Scholarship Club. He was a lifetime member of the North Dakota Dental Association which included a stay as president of the Association. Keith and Joyce were proud founding members of the Open Door Association of Valley City for over 50 years, which allowed their oldest daughter Jackie a place to go to school, meet lifetime friends and become a contributing part of the Valley City community.

Keith was always open for a conversation with everyone he met. Within ten minutes time, he knew your name, where you were from, all your relatives and somehow you were related to someone from North Dakota. There was never a topic he couldn’t learn from, share with or relate to. He was the ultimate Dentist, always finding a story, a joke or an off the wall question that would make you feel comfortable in his chair. Farming, the weather, the economy, the newest car innovations, the sports team activity of the day, the latest movie, the newest remodel downtown and occasionally solving the World-in-Crisis were all on his daily menu of conversation. Whether at the diner, a convention, a business meeting, after church brunch, a family reunion, a neighborhood gathering, the home table or at a family function, there was always a gathering of welcome visitors in conversation with Keith.

Keith was the ultimate avid fisherman and with that, came his ability to stretch the size of the US measurement system to its limits. His last story in life was about how he out-fished his two sons along with his favorite fishing guide. Keith never turned down an invitation (or excuse) to stop working and go fishing with his family. “Come on, let’s get this done so Mom will let us go fishing” was his favorite line. One of his lifetime adventures was to reel in a mighty Sailfish from a boat off the shore of Acapulco, Mexico that is still hauntingly mounted on the basement wall.

After painstaking thought and pinching every spare penny into his coin jar, he purchased his first boat. A 1959 Core-Craft runabout, proudly built in Jamestown, ND. Off to every conceivable body of water he went, always with family in tow, fishing rods, Coleman coolers filled with snacks, life preservers and don’t forget the bait. Keith and Joyce always made sure their family was together, happy, enjoying each other and safe, no matter where they went. In 1967 after years of wandering about for the best Family Vacation Destination”, Keith and Joyce invested in “The Cabin” on Big Cormorant Lake. It was Dad’s pride and joy (well of course after his family). There, countless memories of “The Life and Times of Keith DeVillers” have been made never be forgotten. All were welcome to share the peace and tranquility of the Lake. Fifty-seven seasons of putting the docks in, enjoying every single minute of family time, and then pulling the docks out, that was Dad’s gift to us.

Well, during all that fun time at the Lake, Joyce and Keith gathered up the family one day at the Valley City residence for a family ride down the Kathryn Road. They decided that the best education they could give their children was to bring them back to the Farm……to live! In 1968 they purchased a small farmstead in the heart of the Sheyenne River Valley, right there between the dairy farms and crop lands. Keith continued to work as a dentist at his practice in Valley City, while his lovely wife returned to what she loves most in life, raising the family on a farm. That included raising dogs, cats, horses and cattle. Yes, the total farming experience. We did not know it at the time, but thanks to the foresight of our Father and Mother, we all learned more about life, nature, friendship, family and love than can ever be taught in a book. Dad taught us that if you work steadily and hard at times when you need to, the rewards are as simple as being with your family sharing every moment together. Keith made every effort possible to support his children and his future grandchildren in every event they were active in. Whether it was music, art, cooking, dance, sports or any activity his family wanted to try.

Once the children were all gone from the house, working to pay social security, passing along his lessons and raising families of their own. Keith finally retired from dentistry in 1993 to dedicate his farming talents to keeping Joyce’s gardens growing, mowing five acres of lawn on his John Deere tractor and cultivating the DeVillers National Forest. He was a member of the Valley City Troubadours where he shared his beautiful voice and gift of conversation with everyone. Dad was also a connoisseur of jazz music. He always said his favorite instrument was his stereo. We all know that to be true as he treasured his collection of jazz albums, tapes and CDs. Our home was never void of sound generating from his stereo. He cherished all the lifelong friendships he developed through the years of music appreciation. Dad also had his favorite sports teams through the years, the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings, the Minnesota Twins, NDSU Bison, the UND Sioux, the VCSC Vikings, the VC Hi-liners, the Wahpeton Huskies and the Perham Yellowjackets. Did you know that if you listen to them on the radio, you can keep doing your chores? 

In 2009 Keith, Joyce and Jackie decided they had worked on the farm long enough and wanted to move back to the big city. With the help of their family, they loaded up the truck and headed off to a brand-new home in Wahpeton, ND. As always there were new friends to make, new neighbors to greet, new places to explore, new gardens to cultivate and family events to attend.

Keith taught us all that God and family will always be the most important thing in our lives. Even with his last words, he told us that he was going to soon see his departed family and wait for the rest of us all in heaven. We all know he will be God’s ultimate greeter and the first one we will see whenever we get to the gates. The family would like to thank all the staff at Sanford Hospital of Fargo, St Francis Medical Center in Breckenridge and St Catherine's Care Facility of Wahpeton for the wonderful care they provided our father. We would also like to thank our friends and neighbors for all their kind thoughts and prayers.

Keith is survived by his wife of 72 years, son Jeffrey DeVillers, daughter Barbara (Roger) Eckert, and son Damon (Sandy) DeVillers. Grandchildren, Danielle and Nicholas DeVillers, Scott (Amanda Fry) Eckert and Ashley (Brad) Aschnewitz, Megan, Jessica, and Cassie DeVillers. Five great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Sister-in-law Karen (Ken) Witt and many Nieces and Nephews.

He was welcomed into Heaven by his parents Phillip and Agnes, Ted and Erma Fredrickson, two daughters Vicki and Jacqueline DeVillers, brother Kenneth DeVillers, sister-in-law Harriet DeVillers, sister Karen DeVillers, brothers-in-law Otis Hoggarth and Eugene Briss and sister-in-law Shirley Briss.

Memorials may be directed to The Open Door Center of Valley City or to a charitable organization of your choice.