Jane M. DeVaney

Memorial service for Jane Marie DeVaney, 91, of Duluth, formerly of Hoyt Lakes, will be on June 20^th at 11:00 a.m.  at United Methodist Church in Aurora with Pastor Barbara Hegfors officiating.  Friends may gather one hour prior to the service at the church.  Inurnment will be in the Hoyt Lakes Memorial Cemetery columbarium.  Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora.

Jane died Tuesday, June 7, 2022 at The Crest, Ecumen Lakeshore in Duluth, Minnesota.

She was born January 21, 1931 in Chisholm, Minnesota to Edwin and Aili (Sorvari) Nelimark.  Jane was a graduate of Virginia High School and later attended Northwestern Hospital Nursing School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Following her schooling, she worked at Northwestern Hospital for a short time.  On April 17, 1953 she married Daniel DeVaney in Virginia, Minnesota.  The couple moved to Grand Rapids, Minnesota where she worked as a private duty nurse.  They lived in Hibbing a short time and in 1957, the family moved to Hoyt Lakes where she and Dan raised their family. Jane worked for Erie Mining Company as an Industrial Nurse in the Dispensary.  The only time she did not work as a nurse is when the family moved to Wabush, Labrador, Canada for several years before relocating back to Hoyt Lakes.  She remained at Erie Mining Company until 1991 as the last Industrial Nurse.  She finished her career as a registered nurse at Virginia Regional Medical Center Urgent Care.

She and Dan enjoyed traveling throughout the years.  They travelled extensively throughout the U.S. and Canada and visited Finland three times, where she traced her Finnish Heritage back to 1550.  They also visited Norway, Italy, the Czech Republic, Japan, Switzerland, France, England, Scotland, Mexico and Slovenia where their former exchange student, Janez lived. They spent many winters in South Padre Island and Fort Meyers Beach and summers at their cabin on the South Kawishiwi River.  Jane had the unique ability to strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere and turned many strangers and acquaintances into friends.  Jane had an exuberant curiosity, a tireless service to those in need and open-hearted hospitality to family and friends.  She was a force of nature and 3-time cancer survivor before Alzheimer’s stole her thunder.

In 2018 the couple moved to Duluth to be closer to their children.

Survivors include her husband, Daniel; children: Steve (Debbie) DeVaney of Mora, Deb (Steve Therrien) DeVaney of Superior and Chris DeVaney of Duluth and Janez Funda who is like a son to them; grandchildren: Daniel, Elizabeth, Erin, Noah, Leif, Ian and Michaela; great grandchildren: Oliver, Eireen, Ella and Ollie; numerous cousins also survive.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and Aili.

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