Roberta Louise 'Bobbi' (DeVoe) Altree, 88

Roberta Louise “Bobbi” (DeVoe) Altree passed away peacefully on Nov. 14, 2018, surrounded by family members following a stroke.

Mrs. (DeVoe) Altree was born Jan. 20, 1930, to Ella (Overby) and Richard DeVoe of Somers. She was sister to Phyllis (DeVoe) Bowlen.

After attending grade school in Somers and Bigfork and Grapeview, Washington, she attended junior high and high school in Shelton, Washington. During high school she won a national art competition and continued her art interest at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington.

Roberta was very proud of her family, especially George Alfred “Al” DeVoe, her grandfather, who came to Somers in 1901 from the Wisconsin/Iowa area and helped to build the Somers Lumber Company sawmill, where he later served as the night shift foreman until his retirement. She often recalled visiting her grandpa’s home on Breezy Point.

Richard DeVoe, her father, was an electrician for Somers Lumber Co. before his death in an electrical accident in 1942. Dick also ran the “Hoot Owl” radio station in Somers. His cousins, Ron and George, later purchased and operated the Somers mill. Bobbi was close to Margret Ann “Peg” (DeVoe) Harriman and the Lawrence Drew family of Somers.

Bobbi, as she liked to be called, was preceded in death by three husbands, Donald Gene Sparks, Lloyd Hitt, and John Campbell. She married Austin Altree in 2013 and they lived in Apache Junction and Show Low, Arizona, until 2016 when Austin moved to an assisted living facility in Gilbert, Arizona. In July 2017, Roberta moved to Keizer, Oregon, near her son Brian.During her lifetime, Roberta had three children, Chere (Sparks) O’Rourke, of Prescott Valley, Arizona, Brian Sparks of Monmouth, Oregon, and Paula (Sparks) Garis, of North Liberty, Indiana.

During her 28-year marriage and wonderful retirement with John Campbell, she also had a warm, loving attachment to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In addition to her children, Roberta is survived by four grandchildren, Tiffany Sparks, Joshua Garis, Jacob Garis, and Amy Beth O’Rourke; and two great-grandchildren, Cody and Adele.

A celebration of Mrs. (DeVoe) Altree’s long and wonderful life will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3, in the chapel at Willamette Lutheran Homes, 7693 Wheatland Road N., Keizer, Oregon, where a traditional Lutheran service will be followed by refreshments.