Mary Elizabeth Louise Harrison DeVoe was born on September 24, 1939, in Chuckey, Tennessee, in the same house her mom and aunts were born in, nestled at the foot of the Smoky Mountains as her mom and aunts. Her roots in Tennessee and those beloved mountains grew strong, even after she moved to Pennsylvania as a little girl with her parents, “Shorty” and Willie Mae (Broyles) Harrison.
She welcomed a little brother, “Bud”, whom she lovingly called a brat, but the bond they shared was unmistakable. Whether she was bossing him into chores or discovering her perfume bottles had been secretly filled with water, they remained loyal siblings and friends.
Growing up, her favorite time of the year was two weeks every July when they would “go home.” Home to her Granny, who made her feel like the favorite grandchild, calling her, “my little Mary-o.” (She would learn at her Granny’s funeral that every grandchild felt they were Granny’s favorite.) Home to her cousins, who became best friends. Home to biscuits and gravy, icy water from Granny’s back porch cistern, and the breathtaking beauty of those mountains she loved her whole life.
She met and married George Norman DeVoe in 1960. He was dark, handsome, and dashing—she quickly ended her other dating relationships to build a life with him. Together, they welcomed five children: Tamyra (Horst), Nile, Darren, Kent, and Byron. (She loved telling people she had five babies in four years—the truth was, Tami was four and a half years old when Byron was born!) She had her hands full with so many babies, and then so many teenagers. Plus, the big garden, canning, and animals on the farmette that George moved his family to just outside of Honey Brook.
Her heart was broken as she said goodbye first to Byron in 1984, then George in 1994, and finally Nile in 2023. She also experienced incredible joy as she welcomed eight grandchildren into the family. Her eyes lit up whenever she enjoyed time with them—even in her final days. She was great-grandmom or Memaw to eight great-grandchildren, with one more expected in October.
As a teen, she dreamed of being a “stewardess” and traveling the world. Unfortunately, she didn't meet the height requirement at that time. Instead, she worked for Bell Telephone in West Chester, where she grew tired of saying, “Number, please.” Before raising babies, she worked in the toy department at Woolworths in the West Goshen shopping center. As they grew, she tried many different things—including driving a school bus for the Chester County Intermediate Unit, working at Tel Hai Retirement Community in Honey Brook, and briefly working at Kmart—before joining the team at the district court in Lionville, later transferring to Honey Brook. There, she became office manager and criminal clerk. She often told people she “loved to send people to jail.” It was her favorite job.
That dream of traveling never left her heart. While she “went home” to Tennessee as often as possible—even buying a home at the foot of those beloved mountains once—she longed for further destinations. She finally convinced George to go to Germany to see their son, Nile, who was stationed there. The travel bug bit George on that trip, and off they went. Across Europe, the United States, and Canada. After his passing, Mary didn’t stop. She served on mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, and traveled to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, England, Germany (her favorite), France, Austria, Switzerland, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.
Finally, on July 25, 2025, Mary prepared for her final trip. Tel Hai and Compassus Hospice teams would say she fought stubbornly, shared stories (not all were true anymore, but they were funny!), and kept her sarcasm and wit to the end. Many came to say goodbye and share stories on that final day. Her family will forever be grateful for the love and respect they shared with this resilient and beloved mom, memaw, mom-mom, sister, and friend.
She leaves behind family and friends who will forever carry her stories—and a bit of her resilience, stubbornness, and maybe even sarcasm—with them.
The family will gather for a private service to remember and honor her.
Arrangements by The Labs Funeral Home of Honey Brook, PA.