Judith Ann DeVon, age 81, of Oroville, Washington, died at home on Monday, June 21, 2021 . She was born on January 28, 1940 in Ellensburg, Washington to Godfrey and Esther (Janousek) Connot.

At just six-months-old she lost her father in an accident while he was working construction on a refurbishment of the Ballard Bridge. Her mother never remarried and raised Judy and her older brother, John, as a single mother while working as an RN at the Catholic Hospital in Ellensburg.

Judy grew up in Ellensburg, attending Catholic school through junior high and graduating from Ellensburg High School. She went to Central Washington University in Ellensburg and graduated with a major in Psychology and a minor in English. She later attended the University of Washington to earn her “fifth year” for teaching and then returned to CWU to earn a Masters in Education.

While at Central, Judy met and married her husband, Larry DeVon, in 1960. They were married for over 45 years until his death in 2006.

From Ellensburg the couple moved to Seattle where she had her first elementary teaching job at Kent, Washington. In 1967, they moved to Oroville with their three young sons, Gary, Dante and Michael, where they had bought a partnership in the Pastime Tavern. Judy began teaching in the Oroville School District that same year, teaching mostly fifth grade and fifth/sixth grade classes, although she also taught seventh grade for a short period. She retired with more than 30 years as an educator. She is still well-remembered by many of the former students that she taught at Oroville.

In the summers, Judy could also be seen helping her husband at the tavern, which was somewhat unheard of for a female teacher during the late 1960s and 1970s.

She loved to travel, having been to the UK and Europe several times, most often with her brother John, but also travelled with her sons, their families and her friends. She even pried Larry loose from work at the tavern to take a trip to Cancun with their good friends Grace and Keith Hamilton.

Judy belonged to the Immaculate Conception Church, where she served for many years on the Parish Council, as well as the Altar Society. Her Catholic faith was very important to her and a big part of her life. She was a longtime member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society, which promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.

A prolific reader, Judy was a member of the Oroville Book Club, meeting at the Oroville Public Library to discuss whatever the current book the club had picked out to read. She also served on the library board.

Judy is proceeded in death by her husband, Larry; parents, Godfrey “Fritz” and Esther Connot; brother, John Connot; grandson, Derek DeVon and her cousin, Jeanne Fischer, who Mom considered her sister.

She is survived by her sons, Gary (Dana) of Oroville, Dante (Denise) of Marysville, Washington and Michael (Daniela) of the Isle of Guernsey in the Channel Islands; her grandchildren, Segornae, Morgan, Braeden, Dylan, Mikaela, Martin, Xavier and Katarina; her great granddaughter, Erin; several cousins and many, many good friends in the U.S. and Canada.

Mom will be truly missed by her family and many friends. A funeral Mass is planned for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Immaculate Conception Church, the Oroville Public Library or the charity of your choice.

Bergh Funeral Service and Crematory is in care of arrangements.