Adrian A. DeVries, 84, of Puposky, Minnesota, died Saturday, July 24, 2021, at Essentia Health-Fargo after a long illness. He spent his last hours in the company of his grandchildren as they spoke to him and shared memories of their beloved Grandpa Ad.
A Celebration of Adrian's Life will be held Sunday, September 19, 2021 1:00-4:00 p.m., at his farm, 26694 Pleasant Valley Rd NW, Puposky.
Adrian Alan DeVries was born April 25, 1937, in Puposky to John and Marie (Anderson) DeVries. He attended rural Pleasant Valley School and graduated from Bemidji High School in 1955. He trained in carpentry at Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis and spent a dozen years employed as a construction worker in Wyoming, Alaska, and the Twin Cities. He then returned to Puposky, where he and his father raised beef cattle on the DeVries farm.
Adrian and Mary Jean (Malone) Wavrin were united in marriage May 25, 1974, at Holy Trinity Cathedral, New Ulm, Minnesota. Adrian gained an instant family when he married Jean, a widow with five children and one grandchild.
Adrian was active in the local community. He formerly served on the board of directors of Beltrami Electric Cooperative and Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Co-op, and was a member of the Farmers Union and the Go and Whoa Harness Club. As a youngster he was active in 4-H and showed animals at the Beltrami County Fair. In later years he competed in horse pulls at the fair with his favorite team, Buck and Diamond. Adrian enjoyed dancing, traveling, and socializing with friends and neighbors.
Adrian especially enjoyed the company of the young people in his life. Giving them horse-drawn sled rides through snowy woods or teaching them to ride horses often took priority over his daily tasks. He taught the children a wide range of farming and safety skills, and even the city kids worked alongside their grandpa during their summer stays. It was inevitable that the children learned early about the birds and the bees, given Adrian’s earthy sense of humor and folk wisdom.
He is survived by his wife, Jean; stepchildren Carolyn Wavrin of Salt Lake City, Utah; Mary Siegmann (Terry Ferdinandt) of Madison, Minnesota; Mike (Kris) Wavrin of Bemidji; Dan (Sue) Wavrin of Puposky; and Steve (Deb) Wavrin of Puposky; nine grandchildren: Jason Meyer, Joel Meyer, Andrew Siegmann, Matthew Wavrin, Patrick Wavrin, Jacob Wavrin, Chelsea Morgan, Kate Huot, and Ashleigh Wavrin; fourteen great-grandchildren; a sister, Jill (Charlie) Parson, and brother, Jack (Karen) DeVries; aunt, Luella Gess; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Karen Lee Burns.
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