Stewart William Devore Jr.

Stewart William DeVore, Jr., born March 25, 1945 in Independence, Kansas, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends, on February 2, 2024. Stewart had bravely and gracefully battled Parkinson’s and PSP (progressive supranuclear palsy) for the last 10 years. He amazingly maintained his sweet and loving spirit through all of it.

Stewart was born to Charlotte Dunn DeVore and Stewart William DeVore while his father served during World War II in the South Pacific. After the war, his family settled in Arlington, Texas. Stewart graduated from Arlington High School in 1963 and attended Arlington State College (now UTA) for his freshman year. During that time, he pledged Alpha Sigma Chi Fraternity. For his sophomore year, he transferred to the University of Texas at Austin where he pledged Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

At a party in San Antonio, fate brought him on a blind date with the woman who would become the love of his life, Marilynn Maddox. He was captivated with her from the very beginning and they would marry on June 1, 1968.

Stewart graduated from UT Law School in May 1969. He learned he passed the bar and received his license to practice law on the same day he left for basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. While in the National Guard, he was awarded the “American Spirit Award,” at the completion of basic training, which was given to only one soldier per battalion. He was honored to give the commencement address for his battalion.

He and Marilynn returned to Arlington where he joined the law firm of DeVore, Bagby, McGahey, Ross and Burnett. He eventually went on to form his own law firm, specializing in commercial real estate law, opened a branch of Alamo Title Company, and chartered and co-founded Centre Savings Association. Prior to his declining health, he practiced law in Arlington for over 50 years.

The bonds he made with his Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers at UT were so very important to him and created some of his strongest friendships that lasted the rest of his life. As an alumnus, he served as the Vice President of The Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation (aka “Tau Trustees”). It was his honor and privilege to be able to use his real estate law expertise to negotiate the purchase and handle the closing of the new fraternity house for Tau Chapter in January of 1997. He was named one of the Tau Trustees Men of the Year in 1996.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, he was active in serving his community. He was active with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Arlington, The Oakridge School, The Creative Arts Theater and School, and The Arthritis Foundation. He enjoyed bird hunting, skeet shooting, and deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico off Port Aransas, Texas. His love of music, especially rhythm and blues, never changed. His favorites, Bobby “Blue” Bland and Fats Domino were on repeat during his final days.

But what he loved and enjoyed most was spending time with “his girls.” In 1977, their daughter Leslie Arden was born. She was truly the light of his life. He spent countless hours at her dance recitals and never hesitated to take her and her friends anywhere they wanted to go. His big orange van was well-known and made so many fun trips all over the place – concerts, cheerleading camps, the hunting lease, trips to the beach in Port Aransas. He was so proud when she made the best decision to also attend the University of Texas at Austin and continue his proud Longhorn tradition! Arden met her future husband, Scott Ellis, there and they were married in 2000. Later when his grandsons Huston (2006) and Ford (2009) were born, he was elated. Having grown up with two sisters and having one daughter, he was so excited to have BOYS! He loved nothing more than being with them, flying model airplanes, shooting BB guns, racing remote control cars, playing catch, flying kites on the beach, basically anything and everything that made them happy.

He will be remembered by those that loved and knew him as a kind and caring gentleman. He was intelligent with such a gentle spirit and beautiful heart. He loved writing poems and puns, many of which induced all kinds of eyerolls from Arden, but they were always hilarious. Stewart was the life of every party and was always ready for a good time with friends and family. He had the best laugh and the best smile and lived to make everyone else do the same. These same qualities live on so beautifully in Arden, Huston and Ford.

The last few years were spent at home with his devoted wife and best friend, Marilynn, always at his side. She cared for him day in and day out making sure he had everything he needed and was always perfectly cared for. Marilynn’s commitment to her husband was nothing short of amazing and was a beautiful picture of the love they shared for 58 years.

Stewart was preceded in death by his parents, Charlotte and Stewart DeVore, sister, Kathleen Boone, his uncle, Dale DeVore, his cousin, Tom DeVore and his niece, Kara Boone. He is survived by his wife, Marilynn of 55 years; daughter and son-in-law Arden and Scott Ellis in Dallas; and grandsons Huston and Ford Ellis. He is also survived by his sister Susan Stout in Colorado and niece Dr. Kim Boone in Kentucky, as well as many favorite cousins in Kansas and Texas.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tau Consortium supporting neurological disease research (https://rainwatercharitablefoundation.org/medical-research-program/the-tau-consortium/) and The Oakridge School.

A celebration of his life is being planned and will be shared soon.