MARY REMMERS DE VILLE

01/05/1934-11/23/2025

Mary Remmers DeVille died in the wee hours of November 23, 2025, at Cedar Creek of Fort Wayne. Her quiet departure was true to her gentle and genteel soul. She was 91 years old.

Mary lived life fully with everyday mindfulness. That was especially true with Joseph "Joe" DeVille — the love of her life and her late husband of 63 years, their four daughters, and their extended family.

Genuine, caring and concerned, Mary was loving, laughing, fetching, and engaging. She was soft in manners and conversation, was an intent listener but also had a keen and ornery sense of humor.

She was born January 5, 1934, four years into the Great Depression. She was the second oldest of John and Marguerite (Peterson) Remmers' three children. She lived in Fort Wayne her whole life.

Mary started dating Joe when she was a15-year-old South Side High School sophomore and he was a 13-year-old Most Precious Blood School eighth-grader. While it might have been thought unorthodox and a bit scandalous, their love was genuine and uncommon.

She graduated from South Side in 1952. Mary and Joe were married five years later, on June 29, 1957, in Most Precious Blood Church.

They lived on Wells Street their first three years of marriage. They then built a home on Bayberry Drive in Crestwood Colony. They moved into the modest three-bedroom, one-story ranch to raise their four daughters — Michelle, Denise, Julie, and Jennifer.

As their family grew, they moved again in 1968. Their third residence was the two-story, four-bedroom home with a two-car garage and garden shed they built on Sherman Boulevard. Located in the woods, it was next to homes owned by two of Joe's brothers. The setting was wonderful to raise their girls. Across the street from Franke Park, it had open fields behind it at the time.

Mary's work career was one of steadiness and dedication. She worked at Lincoln National Life Insurance Co. in word processing and its law division; the Sears, Roebuck, and Co. call center on Rudisill Boulevard; the Wayne and St. Joseph townships' trustee offices; and Vera Bradley Designs Inc. She worked at Vera Bradley with her sister, Mona (Remmers) Schirmeyer, and her daughter Michelle's mother-in-law, Donna Bandor.

Mary and Joe enjoyed sitting in their backyard or on their enclosed back deck. They embraced nature and bird watching They enjoyed Wednesday dinners with a group of friends from Central Catholic High School, Joe's alma mater. They were regulars at Casa Ristorante Italiano (Casa d'Angelo's), and were on a first-name basis with staff.

She also cherished her long lasting friendships with "the girls" from Lincoln and their monthly lunches and birthday celebrations.

Mary was a gracious host. She always had sweets – baked and other – available. Folger's was often percolating in her coffeemaker from dawn to dusk.

Mary loved her two cats, Pumpkin and Precious. She fed the stray kitties that wandered onto her property. She also loved and missed the two Springer Spaniels they babied, Sassie and Shadow.

The DeVilles enjoyed Sarasota and Fort Myers Beach on the Gulf of Mexico. They trekked up and down west Michigan along Lake Michigan. They had fun on whitewater rafting trips with friends (Mary shopped!), and vacations to Jamaica and Hawaii. Mary and Joe loved beaches. They often brought their daughters and their families to Fort Myers Beach, Florida, with Thanksgiving a special time.

The memories of Mary by her eight grandchildren are layered with love and admiration.

The oldest: "My Grandma was a constant my entire life. I was the first grandchild, and I even still have memories going back to when I was the only one. Her home, wherever she was, was my home. And it smelled of hazelnut coffee, cozy like a fleece blanket; and was a place to feel safe and loved. She was simply the best person I have ever known. A stroll around the yard or a hike around the park after Sunday dinners with my grandparents (and their dog) looked pretty much like this: Happiness ❤️."

The second oldest on Mary: "The world always seemed warm and cozy when you were around. Maybe it was all the coffee you were always brewing no matter what time of day it was! I hope Grandma and Emmy and all of your other past loved ones welcomed you! ❤️"

The next to youngest: "When I think of Mary, I think of cups of coffee, the ding of a grandfather clock, the clink of spoons in cereal bowls, and the sounds of monkeys drifting in through her bedroom window from the zoo down the street. I think of creaky wood floors, Vera Bradley bags, and every holiday feeling a little more magical at Grandma and Grandpa's house. She was a gorgeous, kind, and loving woman; and I'll cherish our warm memories forever. I hope she's back with Grandpa. With their love, I have no doubt he has missed her terribly."

Mary is survived by her four daughters, Michelle (and Bob) Bandor, of Fort Wayne, Denise (and Rick) Martinez, of Jenison, Michigan, Julie DeVille, of Fort Wayne, and Jennifer (and Eric) Branning, of Fort Wayne. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Natalie Varda, Racheal Branning, Ashley DeVille, and Allison Bandor, all of Fort Wayne; Mitchell Martinez and Hannah (and Ryan) Goemmel, all of Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Hayden (and Brittany) Martinez, of Wyoming, Michigan; and four great-grandchildren, Emersyn, the daughter of Racheal Branning; Mason and Rowan, the sons of Hayden and Brittany Martinez; and Remy, the daughter of Hannah and Ryan Goemmel.

Besides Joe and her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her sister, Mona; her brother, John Remmers, Jr.; and a granddaughter, Emily Branning.

Funeral services are 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at Divine Mercy Funeral Home, 3500 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne, with public visitation an hour before from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Mary will be laid to rest with Joe in Catholic Cemetery after the services.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made in Mary's name to Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control, Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana, or Humane Fort Wayne. To share a remembrance of Mary or to offer condolences, please visit DivineMercyFuneralHome.com

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