- Date Of Birth: November 6, 1941
- Date Of Death: December 6, 2021
- State: Utah
South Ogden, Utah: On December 6th, our husband, father and grandfather, Earl DeVon Deppe returned home to his Heavenly Father (whom He served faithfully throughout his life) to his eternal home, where his mind and body are whole again following his battle with Alzheimer’s and cancer.
DeVon was born to James Earl and Edith May Muir Deppe at LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City on November 6, 1941. They lived briefly in Bountiful, moved to his family home in West Bountiful where his sister JoyLyn was born. He graduated from Bountiful High School in 1960.
Shortly after high school graduation, DeVon had six months of military training at Fort Ord, California and Fort Rucker, Alabama. He attended one semester at the University of Utah before serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints in the Northern California Mission for two years. He moved to Provo to attend Brigham Young University.
In his second semester at BYU, DeVon met Bonieta Cook from Colorado. They dated and were married four months later in August of 1964. She is the light of his life.
In 1966, their sons Kevin and Keith were born nine months apart. In 1967, DeVon received his first degree in accounting. While working for a national CPA firm in Oregon, their first daughter, Carla was born in 1968. In 1970, DeVon received his master’s degree in accounting. His third son, Brian was born in Parowan where he was teaching accounting at Southern Utah State College (now SUU in Cedar City). Their second daughter, Erin was also born in Southern Utah. In 1973, BYU announced the opening of a law school and DeVon applied. From 1975 to 1978, while he pursued his law degree their last daughter, Lara was born – all while teaching accounting at BYU.
DeVon and Bonieta moved to North Ogden following his Juris Doctorate where he took the position of professor at Weber State College (now WSU) to teach graduate accounting, tax and law. He had a part-time law practice in taxation and estate planning.
DeVon and Bonieta served several missions together for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints: the Family History Library in Salt Lake City on the British floor, the Layton distribution center, a service mission in the Jefferson ward in downtown Ogden, hosts at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, Toronto Canada mission from 2007 to 2008, the Zimbabwe Africa mission in 2010 when a health concern brought them home and they finished their mission at the Family History Library on the International floor.
With a life built solidly on the rock of his Savior, Jesus Christ, DeVon spent countless hours in the temple and doing family history work. He served the Lord in numerous callings including several bishoprics, as bishop, stake executive secretary, stake finance clerk and others.
Many people came to DeVon for wisdom and advice especially his children. He was always willing to use his Priesthood power to bless his family and every year he gave his wife and all of his children father’s blessings as they returned to school. A tradition that continued long after they had graduated high school.
He and Bonieta had matching motorcycles which they road together for many years. DeVon loved to sing, dance and snap his fingers. He could often be found tucked away in a room singing hits from the 50’s on his karaoke machine. Although the Alzheimer’s took many things, the love of music remained until the end. He would always tap out the beat to a Johnny Cash song. He is a tremendously hard worker. He is a teacher. He is kind, wise and meek.
DeVon is survived by his eternal companion and dedicated caregiver Bonieta Cook Deppe of South Ogden and six children: Kevin (Rosemarie), Keith (Dayna), Carla (Collin) Wood, Brian (Michelle), Erin (Ron) Foster and Lara; twenty grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister JoyLyn and granddaughter and grandson Sierra and Ryan Deppe.
