Gwen DeVries, a life-long resident of Warwick, passed away in her sleep in the early morning hours of Tuesday, May 19, 2020, due to heart failure. She was 72.
Gwen was born on Aug. 27, 1947, and was the daughter of Evelyn and Russell (Cheese) Reinauer.
Gwen was married to Henry DeVries for 51 years. She died only 18 days after his passing.
Gwen was a 1965 graduate of Warwick Valley High School, and a graduate of Orange County Community College, where she earned a nursing degree. As a registered nurse, she worked at several health care providers in the Orange County area, including time at Arden Hill Hospital, St. Anthony Community Hospital and the former Pius XII in Chester.
Those who knew Gwen know both of her strong will and her endless love and adoration of her son and her grandchildren, Lucy and Nora. She will be missed.
Like her husband, Henry, Gwen was a long-time member of the Warwick United Methodist Church.
Gwen loved musicals, lemon meringue pie and Rod Stewart. Beset by a series of long-term illnesses and struggles with her health, Gwen spent many weeks and months in hospitals throughout her life, having survived three heart attacks and multiple surgeries.
Gwen is survived by son Daniel, daughter-in-law Stephanie, and grandchildren, Lucy and Nora, of Vernon. She is also survived by her mother-in-law Jenny DeVries of Goshen; sister-in-law Jenny Morash and her husband Sam of Middletown and sister-in-law Shirley Jarocki and her husband Paul, of Florida, N.Y. Gwen is also survived by several cousins.
A memorial gathering will be held in Gwen and Henry’s honor at a later date due to the current social distancing requirements of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gifts in lieu of flowers are asked to be sent to Meals on Wheels of Warwick, P.O. Box 98, Warwick, NY 10990, or the Warwick Valley Humane Society at wvhumane.org.
Due to the corona virus restrictions on public gatherings, arrangements were private.
Arrangements were made by Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick, NY 10990. To send an online condolence, visit www.lsvpmemorialhome.com.