Memorial to Ed Devault

The man second from the left is Ed Devault. Ed was a big man both in size and temperament. He was our preacher for 6-7 years. He had many health issues, but just recently learned he had stomach cancer. He had a successful surgery, we thought, and a large portion of his stomach was removed, but his prognosis was good. But alas, as life goes he had complications, had to return to surgery for some repair work and things went down hill. He past from this life on July 1, 2010 at about 11 PM. He left behind a lovely wife and 2 devoted children.
Nearly every Sunday afternoon when we went into church building for evening services he would tell my husband and me something that his son Chris has told him in his Sunday afternoon call. He loved to go visit Chris in South Carolina.
Every time we went to services, and we were usually the first ones there, he was sitting on the back pew greeting and visiting with the members as they arrived. He loved the children and he loved to have the little ones sitting on his lap.
You did not let him know of some boo-boo you had made. He loved to tell it from the pulpit, plus adding a few tidbits that really stretched the story a little.
I noticed the last time I saw him when we were visiting where he preached that he was really pale in color. We have several friends in this area with leukemia and I thought, "Oh no, not Ed too!" But his wasn't leukemia.
He will be missed by his family and most of all by the Cherokee Church of Christ for which he had preached the last 7 or so years.
The good thing about his passing is, that he went to meet the Lord before those of us left here on earth.
Goodbye, Ed, for a little while.