Kenneth (Ken) Wayne DeVore was born on January 15, 1948, to Frank Wayne DeVore and Priscilla (Pat) Irwin in Burbank, California. He passed away on November 26, 2015, at Moab Regional Hospital.
Frank was in the U.S. Army, so the family moved around until finally settling in San Diego, California. Ken attended Mission Bay High School, where he met and married his high school sweetheart Pamela Tipton in June 1966. They were married for 49 years. They moved to the Los Angeles, California, area shortly after high school and had two children before moving to Utah.
They became the houseboat managers in 1975 for Aqua Cruz Houseboat Rentals at Halls Crossing, Lake Powell, starting with six houseboats and eventually managing 50 houseboats before leaving for Moab and settling in Castle Valley in 1979.
Ken had an engineering background and went to work for Royce’s Electronics doing mountaintop work on cell towers. He was also a great boatman and worked for various companies until he bought his own river company, Descent River Expeditions, with his best friend, Robert Deglas. He then started a very successful solar business, which he was very knowledgeable and passionate about.
Ken is survived by his wife, Pam DeVore; son, Donn (Shellee) DeVore; daughter, Kristi Taylor (Lance Masterson); sisters, Linda (Daryl) Moore, Nancy (Bill) Barge; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Ken was preceded in death by his parents, and brother, Donn DeVore.
Ken spent time in Panama since his father was in the Army. He learned a love for the water and living in San Diego helped the salt water to run through his blood, along with not wanting to wear shoes! He surfed, scuba dived for Jacques Cousteau, water-skied the L.A. to Catalina race, and would skip school from Mission Bay High School to walk down to the beach with his high school sweetheart. He played football, baseball, wrestled, and was state champion in gymnastics in 1964.
His love for the water, camping and finding a dirt road to nowhere is a lost art, and again, he passed on the love for water, outdoors and an adventure. He loved taking his family out into the wilderness to enjoy his family but also to teach the excitement of seeing and feeling what this planet called earth is all about.
Ken loved NASCAR, drag racing, football games and just anything in life. He loved his family, kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. But most of all his family all loved him.
His friends were so special to him as well. What a lucky man to have been liked by so many. He loved all of his friends and thought of them as family. They all made such a mark on him and the family hopes he did the same. He would have done anything for anyone.
The family will have a celebration of life in January 2016. Ken will be truly missed by all family and friends.
