Joanne Patricia Devin

Joanne Patricia Devin, 88, passed away Tuesday, September 16, 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Joanne was born March 17, 1937 to Dewitt and Grace (Reichardt) Houck in Kansas. She was given the middle name Patricia for her Saint Patrick’s Day birthday. She grew up on the farm/ranch south of Bushong, Kansas. She started teaching in Kansas and continued her career with the Des Moines Public School system mostly at Cattell and Wallace Elementaries, teaching first grade and remedial reading until her retirement. She also privately tutored hundreds of children, teaching them to read. She loved all her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She often travelled to Kansas to visit the Devin families in Junction City, her lifelong friends Jean Adams and family in Council Grove, her brother, Jim Houck and family at Rock Creek Ranch and the other family homesteads. She would always stop on the way to visit her other close friends Jean Gerleman and family in Leavenworth. She had many friends, too many to name, near her eastside Des Moines home. When at home, she would often be at her Apple computer, on Ancestry.com working on our genealogy records. She wanted to have paper copies of everything. The results were compiled into hundreds of notebooks of our family history.

She travelled the US and world with friends. One of her favorite trips was the Rhine River cruise. Her house was always neat and in order displaying many antique irons, rug beaters, and family heirlooms passed down from the Reichardt and Houck families. She rode her exercise bike faithfully one to two hours a day. Going to church every week with her son, Todd and doing volunteering work at the church was very important to her. Joanne enjoyed refinishing and restoring antique furniture, making stained glass windows, and taking care of her flowers and yard herself.

She is survived by her children, Steven Devin, Todd Devin (Reshawnna) and David Devin; grandchildren, Connor, Brianna, Halie, and Andrew Devin; Mathew and Megan Belcher; Jonathan, Brianna, Alexandria, and Aaliya Coleman; great-grandchildren, Jessa Novak and Jacob Hance; and brother, James Houck (Jean).

Joanne was preceded in death by her parents, Dewitt and Grace Houck.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, September 25, 2025 at Union Park United Methodist Church, 2305 E.12th Street in Des Moines with visitation one hour prior with a luncheon to follow. Burial at Glendale Cemetery, 4909 University Ave in Des Moines.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Union Park United Methodist Church in loving memory of Joanne.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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