As dictated to Melanie DeVos Molinaro on January 9, 2016

My first memory of religion was recorded in a picture of my Dad and I in the bell tower of Saints Peter and Paul Episcopal Church in St. Louis.  I was 3 or 4 years old with my hands on the bell’s rope.  I attended kindergarten with the Nuns of the Little Flower, my Mother’s Catholic church.  My next memory was my mother’s funeral when I tried to crawl into her coffin in the viewing at the Catholic Church in St. Louis and sat with my maternal grandmother in the balcony during the service because I was so disruptive.  My father felt the Lord had robbed him of his only love when my mother died in childbirth.  We quit going to church.  While my Dad and I lived with his parents, my grandparents, we were Christians at Christmas and Easter.

I remember my grandfather embarrassing my grandmother with his profanity one Easter when a large bird left its droppings on his new straw boater (hat).  My Dad remarried when I was 11 to Ruth Walters, a nominal member of the Evangelical Lutheran religion.  Church attendance was quite spotty until my mid-teens when I attended the Lutheran church of Webster Gardens so I could play in the church basketball league.  After graduating from high school, I attended DePauw University as a Rector Scholar in Greencastle, Indiana, a Methodist school which required six credit hours of religion.  I received a “C” in Old Testament and an “A” in New Testament.

After Army service and subsequently earning an MEd (Masters of Education) from Missouri University, I lived and worked in Columbia, Missouri at Stephen’s and Christian Colleges, in Las Vegas with the public school system, in Newport Beach at Chapman College, and in Salt Lake City, Utah with the Foreign Study League.  Then, I sold real estate in Fairfield Glade, Tennessee and earned an EMBA from Vanderbilt University, a Methodist school.  Until that time, when asked what church I belonged to, I would say “I am a Pedestrian.”  Most people would simply nod and say “Oh.”  When they asked for a definition of a “Pedestrian,” I would laugh and say “Whichever side of the street the church is on, I walk  down the other side.”  I did not need organized religion or the teachings of Jesus Christ, Mohammad, Budda or any other invention of man.  (the old dilemma ‘Did God create man or did man create God?.

I did not attend any church services regularly until I married Sherron Watson when I was 36 – in April 1973.  One of Sherron’s conditions for marriage was that she would be able to attend and serve in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Sherron and Melanie introduced me to the values of an organized church and reintroduced me to the Savior through their actions and service to others.  Sherron served in ward and stake callings and Melanie graduated from BYU and I supported them in their church activities.  During this period, I resisted missionary efforts by numerous Elders and church members.  In 1982, we received a new daughter, Annalissa Elaine.  Anna was raised in the church without my being a member of it, but with my support.  She qualified to attend BYU.

I was self-sufficient, self-reliant, and independent, as I had been taught from childhood.

In 1985 while living and working in St Croix in the Virgin Islands,  Sherron had a life-threatening need for an operation for cancer on her liver while she was visiting Melanie in San Jose, CA.  Although I was not a member of the Church, we tithed and I taught priesthood lessons in our small branch.  I did not want Sherron facing death without knowing that we had a chance for an eternal family.

So on Easter Sunday April 3,1985 I was baptized in the waters of the Caribbean Sea by a senior missionary.  I was given the Aaronic Priesthood by the branch president immediately after the baptism.  Two days later, Tuesday, from the back seat of a car in the parking lot of the airport in San Jose, I received the Melchizedek Priesthood from the Mission President.

I flew to San Jose and gave Sherron a blessing as she went into the operating room.  Because she is a bleeder, Sherron asked that she would be blessed not to have excessive bleeding and that the liver polyps would not be cancerous..  This was my first blessing; I had to rely completely on the Spirit.  The Lord assured Sherron that there would be NO bleeding or cancer.  I had missed the word “excessive”.  The operating surgeon, a Dean at Stanford, said that he had never seen an operation on the liver that had no bleeding.  I finally understood the power of belief in Jesus Christ.

I have no doubts.  I know that I am a child of God.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the true church of Jesus Christ on this earth.  I know that Joseph Smith was a living Prophet of God; that he translated the Book of Mormon, a companion to the Bible; that he restored the original church created by Christ on this earth. I know that the power of Christ’s priesthood has been restored, that there is a living Prophet and Apostles on this earth today.  I know that revelation from the Lord exists in our day both through the church and personally.  I know that we have the promise of eternal life and eternal families, if we keep the commandments.  I believe the message of the Book of Mormon: If we keep the commandments of Christ, we will receive His blessings; if we do not keep His commandments, He will withdraw Himself from us.  Love God with all your heart mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.  It is that simple!

May the Good Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.

David Francis De Vos, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend peacefully slipped the constraints and pains of this life for the endless joys of eternity as he passed away on Saturday, April 23, 2016.  He died at Centennial Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee following complications from a heart attack and surgery.

Dave was born April 1,1936 in St. Louis, Missouri to Edward Francis De Vos and Mary Rebecca Towell.  A few years after Mary’s death, his father married Ruth Ann Walters and they had a daughter, Lynn.   They lived in St. Louis, Missouri, and later Memphis, Tennessee.

Dave married Sherron Ann Watson and their sweet marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake City Mormon Temple.

He was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended the Crossville, Tennessee Ward.  Among his callings he served as a gospel doctrine teacher, Sunday school president, High Councilor and Bishop.

Leaving a beautiful legacy of faith and service, a great testimony and love of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven, he was dedicated to integrity and goodness.

He was a devoted family man.  Dave treasured his wonderful wife, Sherron, and daughters Melanie and Annalissa, and the family who all adored him and sought to follow so much of his wise example.  Being a grandfather was another favorite part of his life and  he was honored to add the roles of grandpa-in-law and great-grandfather, too.

Dave’s thirst for knowledge began early and continued throughout his life.  His formal schooling included graduating from Webster Groves High School, in Webster Groves, Missouri, completing undergraduate work at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, earning a masters degree from  the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri and an MBA from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.  He was always learning and sharp-minded.

He served in the Army Reserves.  His professional work included racially integrating a college campus, serving as an admissions counselor for both Stephens and Christian Colleges, working with at-risk teens to redirect their life paths and earn an education, marketing for an international student travel company and being a realtor – sharing the beautiful Tennessee he loved.

Another of his passions was work with Crossville’s Cumberland County Playhouse where he served devotedly in various roles including Chairman of the Board and also starred in shows such as “I Do, I Do,”   "The Fantasticks" and “Tennessee U.S.A.” as President James K. Polk.

Well known for his quick wit and twinkling smile, Dave also had a beautiful singing voice, intelligence, a hilarious sense of humor, and a love of family traditions, education, history, travel, reading and ice cream.  He always had ready and helping hands and took delight in his family and their achievements.  He was also a true fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, BYU (Brigham Young University), SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), and UT (University of Tennessee – especially the Lady Vols Basketball Team).

Remember him for his goodness in serving others, his testimony of Christ’s atonement and resurrection, his love for God and family, and always his grin . . . a favorite saying of his was “If you see someone without a smile, give ‘em one of yours”!  And he did.

He is survived by his wife, Sherron, his two daughters Melanie Ann De Vos Molinaro, and Annalissa De Vos; a son-in-law Michael Victor Molinaro; grandchildren Ashley Molinaro Bernal, Christopher Louis Bernal, Justin Michael Molinaro, Elise Franks Molinaro and Tyler De Vos Molinaro; great-grandchildren Jackson Christopher Bernal and Raegan Kate Bernal; a sister Lynn De Vos Mullet.

Graveside services were held in Salt Lake City, Utah, with interment at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park on Friday, April 29th.  A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm  on  Friday, May 13 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Genesis Road in Crossville, Tennessee.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Cumberland County Playhouse to keep the dream alive and growing (www.ccplayhouse.com -- then press the “Donate” button).