Chuck Devol

Charles (Chuck) L. Devol, 69, of Mountain Home, died July 3, 2011, at a local hospital.

No funeral is planned. A celebration of his life will be held July 16 at the American Legion Hall, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Military honors will be provided at that time by American Legion Post No. 26.

Arrangements are under the direction of Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel.

Chuck was born April 25, 1942, to Albert and Wanita (Nickles) Devol at the home of his grandparents in McConnellsville, Ohio. As a youngster, his family followed his father as he worked on road construction projects through out the state of Ohio, always returning to their small home just outside the city limits of Zanesville.

His education began in a small country school, where two classrooms hosted eight grades. By the time he reached high school, he said two school districts had to join together just to be large enough to float a bond for a new school. He graduated with the second graduating class from Maysville High School. During his high school years, he worked for the highway district, clearing the right-of-way. After graduating, he was employed by Rinks, working in the men's wear department.

About to be drafted, he joined the Air Force. Completing basic training and tech school in Texas, his first assignment was to Sewart AFB in Smyrna, Tenn. It was there he first met Judi (Judith Arsenault) and after a whirlwind courtship of only two months, they were married June 12, 1965. Eighteen months later, Chuck left for Vietnam, serving with the Ranch Hands. His tour there finished, and his first term in the Air Force over, he left the military. But after a short break, he enlisted in the Air Force once more, serving for 20 years more before retiring.

It was just before Memorial Day weekend, 1974, when Chuck, Judi, three kids (two sons, one daughter) and two dogs first arrived in Mountain Home. And although they didn't know a soul in town, they were immediately made to feel welcome. During the next four years, they came to love the area and all it has to offer. They were especially impressed with Air Force Appreciation Day.

Chuck retired from the Air Force in 1984 and the family returned to Mountain Home to live. Two weeks later, both Chuck and Judi were on hand to shuck corn for AFAD, and the next day they joined the line-up of servers for the barbecue. It was the first of the many volunteer services Chuck would give to his community.

By 1986, Chuck had decided that he wanted to help even more with the AFAD effort. He joined the cook shack crew and, under the guidance of Dean Wilson, learned to tuck wings and load trays. After his first long weekend in that cook shack, Chuck was hooked, remaining a part of the barbecue cooking crew. He was selected to serve as the Grand Marshal of the AFAD parade in 1996.

As a member of the Mountain Home Lions Club, Chuck continued to find opportunities to serve his community, often helping with vision screening as well as with other club projects. The club honored him by naming him as its Distinguished Lion.

His volunteer services included working at the Elmore County Historical Museum and at the Mountain Home VA Clinic.

Before retiring from Paul's Market in 2008, he was known as the "Cookie Man" to the youngsters visiting the store.

He is survived by: his wife of 46 years, Judi; sons Martin of Renton, Wash., and Kenneth of Lakewood, Wash.; daughter Deedee (Danelle) of Mountain Home; three granddaughters, one grandson, all of Washington; brothers Tom and Dan Devol, and sister Alice, all of Ohio.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Gary.

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