Roamona Louise (Lewellen) DeVorss 1936 - 2025

Roamona Louise (Lewellen) DeVorss, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and best friend, died September 20, 2025. Roamona passed peacefully, surrounded by her adult children and grandchild, after briefly undergoing care at Hillside in McMinnville, Oregon. She was 89 years old. 

Roamona was born March 28, 1936, to Bolen Lee Lewellen and V. Louise (Lakey) Lewellen in Independence, Missouri.  She was the oldest of four children. Her family relocated to St. Joseph, Missouri, where in 1954 Roamona graduated from Benton High School, and finished not only academically at the top of her class, but also enjoyed years singing in the choir.  After working as a switchboard operator for Bell Telephone, she married John (Jack) Glenn DeVorss on March 2, 1957. They chose the adventure of moving to Burlingame, California, where Roamona transferred with Bell Telephone and John worked for Bethlehem Steel as their children began to arrive:  Glenda Louise in April 1958; John Bolen in May of 1960, and Rhonda Kay in December of 1961.

John was soon offered a position overseas with CVG Steel, and he and Roamona moved with their children for two years to Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.  Upon their return to the U.S., they lived in Newark, California, Ashland, Kentucky, and finally ended up at their forever home in their beloved Pacific Northwest with Cascade Steel in 1969.  Roamona loved camping and hunting with the family and was a pro at canning and freezing all the abundant produce from the area. She loved her job of devoted stay-at-home mom, only seeking work outside their home after the children were well into their teens. She worked for Mrs. Smith’s Pies until eventually owning and operating the well-known and loved Aunt Aggie’s, an ice cream and sandwich shop on Third Street in McMinnville. Roamona sold the shop in 1999, joining John in retirement, which they spent relaxing and traveling in the U.S., a trip to Spain, a trip to Mexico, and many, many hours on the Oregon coast with her cherished family. They traveled many miles in Oregon for many years to attend their granddaughter’s softball and volleyball games. Their only grandchild, Nicole, was her treasure and the apple of her eye.

Roamona was one of the happiest, wisest, most caring and kind people to have ever had the privilege of knowing. She was beautiful and she loved to laugh, and her smile and laughter were infectious. There was no comparison of Roamona in an evening gown for formal gatherings, but she was just as stunning in jeans in the barn, bottle feeding calves. Her home was always open to dozens and dozens of children over the years and they all thought of her as their own mom. She was an amazing cook and baked endlessly during the holidays, and she loved and decorated for the seasons. She was a best friend to so many and will be sorely missed by all. She was happy and content well into her years even though she, tirelessly and without complaint, managed many health challenges over the past several years. She remained in her home until June, when she moved to Hillside Retirement Community.

Roamona is survived by her daughter, Glenda DeVorss-Rose of Dayton; her son, John (Bobbi) DeVorss of Carlton; daughter, Rhonda (Karen) DeVorss of McMinnville; her sister, Sandra Kay Rohrer of Troy, Kansas; and her precious granddaughter, Nicole, daughter of John and Bobbi.  Roamona was preceded in death by her husband of 59 ½ years, John (Jack) DeVorss; her brother, Merlin V. (Thumper) Lewellen of St. Joseph; and sister, Sherrin Rae Kendall, of Farley, Missouri. She will forever be remembered adoringly by her extended family, by her many nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and -nephews, as their dearly loved “Aunt Snookie." At Roamona’s request, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her honor to:  The Soup Kitchen at St. Barnabas, 822 S.W. Second St., P.O. Box 539, McMinnville OR 97128, or the Salvation Army of McMinnville 1950 S.W. Second St., McMinnville OR 97128.

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