Charles Clifton DeVore

Charles Clifton DeVore, 98, of Gem, KS, died June 6, 2026, at Citizens Medical Center, Colby, KS.

Bone on July 24, 1927, in Sleeper, MO, he was the second son of thirteen children born to Clinton Thomas and Edith Evangeline (Skinner) DeVore.

Charles had a long life and a varied work history starting as a young boy. He went to school through the seventh grade and then went to work to earn money to help support his family. He worked as a farmer. He also worked on the railroad with his dad, as he recounted how they would get on the train in Sleeper, ride to St. Louis, and work for the week returning home by the train on weekends.

Charles was drafted into the Army on September 20, 1946, at age 19 and entered service at Fort Crook, NE. He served as a cannoneer and earned a Marksman qualification with the carbine. Near the end of World War II, he was deployed to the Pacific theater operation and was honorably discharged on May 28, 1947, at camp Stoneman, CA. He was drafted again on June 10, 1952, and entered service in St. Louis, MO. Charles was then sent to Incheon, Korea, where he served in Batter C, 980th Field Artillery Battalion. The 980th took over the punch bowl after the Oklahoma guard had lost it. They just kept pushing until they pushed the enemy back to the front lines. Charles recalled firing the “big guns’ around the clock. While cleaning the bore on one of the 105 guns, Chares was injured and spent time recovering in an Army hospital in Incheon. Afterward, he was assigned to the front lines, where he served for the remainder of his time in Korea as a forward observer directing fire for Patton tanks. During his Army service, Charles received several decorations, including the Bronze Star with a “V” device for valor.

Upon returning stateside, Charles was stationed at Camp Carson, near Colorado Springs, CO. While stationed there, he met and married Bonnie Lee Demmler on January 15, 1955. He would re-enlist for and additional 3-year stint where Charles was told if he would go to mechanic school he would be sent to Germany so he could show his wife other parts of the world. Upon return from Fort Sill, OK, ten weeks later, from truck vehicle maintenance training he learned his commanding officer had changed, and Carles recalled how the new commanding officer told him the only way he was getting off that base was a discharge or in a pine box. He never got to take Bonnie overseas. While in service, Charles worked to earn his eighth-grade diploma so he would be eligible for promotions. At the time of Charles’ final discharge on April 6, 1957, he held the rank of Sergeant.

Charles and Bonnie would have four children; James Lee, Charles Keith, Kathy Ann, and Phyllis Irene.

Charles made a career of building homes, both for various employers and as an independent contractor/owner of DeVore Construction.

Charles and his family moved from Colorado Springs to Hanover, CO, in 1969, where he lived until April of 2022, moving to Gem, KS and living out the remainder of his life with his daughter Phyllis.

Charles is survived by his sons, Jim (Susan) and Keith (Nancy); daughters, Kathy (Sam) Torres and Phyllis Ziegelmeier; four grandchildren, Michelle, Jennifer DeVore, Brandon DeVore, and Pete Zieglemeier II; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Velma Knapp; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Bonnie; his parents, Clinton and Edith; his brothers, George, Everett, William, Earl and James; his sisters, Bonnie, Dolly, Burly, Ruby, Fay and Joyce; and his son-in-law, Pete Ziegelmeier.

A graveside service will take place at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the Gem Cemetery, Gem, KS, followed by lunch at the Gem Community Building. Memorials may be made to the Hanover Fire Department and mailed to Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS 67701. For information or to leave condolences visit baalmannmortuary.com