Mende DeVinney

November 6th, 1974 - September 27th, 2012

Mende's Memory Wall

We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Mende here, so that the family and other loved ones can always see it. Share your favorite stories or comment on those shared by others.

There are no words to express our heartbreak . I knew Mende through mutual friends, and loved her from the start. My Mother gave me an ugly ceramic dog from my childhood, and when Mende heard the brief description, she knew where I was, and gave me the same ceramic dog, but purple! You know right away when you like someone, but take for granted that at her age, she'd just out-live us older folks.. I'll never forget you, Mende, and will keep the ugly little ceramic dog in my china cabinet til I pass. Heartfelt sympathy to her family and dear friends. I loved Mende, and things will never be the same. Bless her family with peace, soon, dear God.

Wendi and Larry Moret

Idy and Dennis words cannot describe the sorrow that we are feeling in the news of Mende's death. We are here for you and want you to feel our prayers of love and support. May God carry you through all of the decisions that you have to face in the days to come. May this verse bring you comfort..."The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV. In Christ, The Hoffman's; Jeff, Beth, Rebecca and Paul

Jeff, Beth, Rebecca and Paul Hoffman

It has been too many years since I've seen or spoken to Mende, however our childhoods were so interwoven, from grade school at St Basil's, after school play dates and sleepovers and the all to common tween activity of "hanging out" downtown South Haven, that I can't help but feel the loss deep in my heart as so many others are too. My sincerest condolences to Idy, Dennis and Jason. I will continue to hold those memories dear and pray for peace and comfort for you in the coming days.

Rebecca Stegeman Niehus

My condolences to Mende's family. She and I were housemates in Traverse City. She had the upstairs and I the downstairs apartment and we quickly became friends. My favorite memories of Mende were during our great conversations with eachother about life and it's challenges and she was always helpful in offering advice from a female perspective and she trusted me enough to also hear things from my male perspective. I will personally dearly miss her. Again, my heart goes out to her family and those close to her. Very sad news to hear. :(

Pico Cockrum

Our thoughts are with your family.
I will always remember Mende as being the kind, sweet little girl that I had in my campfire group so many years ago. Her smile was contagious!
We cannot have them return to us, but our hopes and dreams are that we can see them again. Unfortunately, those of us that are left behind, suffer the most. There are no words and no amount of tears that can erase this kind of pain. Only time will help. Our prayers are with you for your loss. Smile on Mende!

Dee & Pete Birmingham

Dear Idy and Dennis,
Our hearts are aching. Mende touched our lives many years ago and we feel blessed we had the chance to know her. She always had a hug for me when we saw each other. We would get caught up on the latest with our families and share in a few laughs. Her contagious smile would light up any room and make others smile. Dave and I pray that even in this time of such sadness, your warm memories of Mende bring you many smiles. Your in our thoughts and prayers, Love Dave and Gail

Dave and Gail Burrows

Dennis, Idy, and Jason- I was saddened to hear of the news of Mendes passing. I remember growing up in the church with her and Jason...she was always so sweet and polite. She brightened up the room...she was such a wonderful person with a beautiful smile and a beautiful heart. She will be missed by many. I'm thankful that over the past couple summers I had the chance to run into her around town and catch up. Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers. May Gods loving arms surround you in this difficult journey.

Lori Ellmer

Mende: You loved life. Life does not always love us back. You persevered. You learned. You had many friends who loved and admired you. You had more family and friends rooting for you than you knew. Oh, that I could put my arms around you and show you somehow. But all is not lost, not by a long shot. You have made your mark on the lives of many. I remember small things like your visits to the hospital to see me and you almost always saying, "I love you" whenever you left. And bigger things like your tackling the FEMA test and then going all over by yourself into unfamiliar and difficult situations to help victims of catastrophe. You were seeking God and mostly you didn't know it but sometimes you did. Well, welcome home; the home you've been seeking. Your Uncle Dave

David DeVinney

Mende, you are gone too soon!.
You touched our lives. through your parents. We became better people because Dennis and Idy came to our village Mende land and into our lives, when we were just boys and girls growing up. They loved us Mende people so much that they named you after our tribe. No other “stranger” among us in our villages ever loved us better, which is why your untimely death is in particular so tragic for us. Some of us never met you. Yet we knew you because we know and love Idy and Dennis who loved us first. You are the proverbial “fruit that never fell far from the tree.” You have been and always remain God’s Blessing to the DeVinney family and to all of us who have been touched by them and you. You chose a life of helping those whom Jesus called “the least of my brethren,” much like your parents chose to do. We remain eternally grateful for this. and we know that Our Lord promises you this in the Gospel of St. Matthew: “Whosoever shall do the will of My Father who is in Heaven, the same is My brother and sister, and mother, saith the Lord.” We make part of our prayers for you in the words of Psalm 44; 12, 11:
“Concupivitt Rex decorum tuum, quoniam ipse est Dominus Deus tuus. Audi, filia ...”
“The King shall greatly desire thy beauty, for He is the Lord thy God. Hearken, O daughter …”
We your Mende kinfolk bid you farewell:
“Ngowo e nema yei be ma. Amena!“ “May you rest in the perfect peace of God. Amen!”
You see, Mende, you are gone too soon, but you will never be forgotten.

To Dennis & Idy:
“Gbena huay” (we extend our sincere sympathy to you). We mourn her loss with you together. May the Lord strengthen us all from this. Amen!
Franco

Dr. Francis A Smith, PE

Mende, your death is a shocked to all, who have either met you in person or through communication. You will be sadly missed by all of us. I thank you for your kindness, love and helping me and my family in Africa, S/ Leone. Words can not expressed our feelings, all I can say to you, farewell, you are gone, but your memories remains forever with us. I say sincere thank you to your parents who got you so much involved in Africa, we never get the privellege to meet you, but felt we knew you and that you are strongely part of us the Mende people of Serabu,in S/Leone.May your soul rest in perfect peace. We will love you forever.

Fatu M, Smith

I can say that I truly ADORED and admired Mende. She was a great friend to me and helped me through a tough time. She did it so subtly too... in a way where she just showed me how to really enjoy life again and have fun and it was always with a big smile. Mende always made sure to let me know how much I meant to her. The last time I saw her a few days before she left, she told me "Lindy, I'm so glad we are friends." Her heart was so big and her love changed the world. Idy and Dennis, I have never met you but Mende told me all about you guys and she adored you. I know that you raised her to be the amazing person that she was. She will forever be in my heart and my heart goes out to your family and her friends as well.

Lindy DeVries

Dear Mende, You have left your family, friends, and all of South Haven in shock. I am missing you my sweet, sweet daughter and friend. You were the best! You sent Dennis,Jason, and me on an unexpected trip to Baton Rouge last week. We met and talked with your co-workers and that was comforting to us. They told us about your last week and some fun stories about you. We saw three short video clips of your last minutes of this life - you can thank Jason for going to the grocery asking permision to view their security video. Mal-o-way my Mende Woman. Your mom.
P.S. You were beautiful to look at and you were just as beautiful on the inside. I loved you for loving unconditionaly - you lived and loved with a full heart.
P.S.P.S. Family/Friends if we don't have your email address please send it to us at devinney@i2k.com

Idy DeVinney

Mende - a part of me died along with you. I feel a heart wrenching pain when I have to accept that you are really gone. I go through my days feeling like this is all just a terrible nightmare that I will wake up from....I miss you my friend! I am so thankful that I have my whole life full of memories of times we shared together. You will always be "The girl down the street" who I admire for your giving, loving, goofy personality. We had a special friendship that I will cherish everyday for the rest of my life. You were part of my family and everyone of us will miss you dearly.

Dennis, Idy & Jason - I am so so sorry for your loss. Mende was an extraordinary woman that you were blessed to have 37 years with. I am wrapping my arms around each of you. I love you.

Tonya Privett Roach

The tributes by Francis, Fatu and Eddy above reflect the sentiments of our family at the untimely loss of Mende. I remember as a young boy still grappling with the basics of the English language the letter Dennis and Idy wrote to our parents in Africa informing them of the birth of their baby daughter. I can still see the broad smile that broke across the face of my father on hearing that she had been named after our Mende tribe. My father spent the next several weeks proudly sharing the news with the whole community in our village Serabu. I therefore grew up with the knowledge that my parents and the village as a whole felt that a little American girl had become a symbol of the bond that had been established between them and the parents Dennis and Idy who, as volunteers, had worked with them with great dedication a few years earlier and had shown great interest in them as a people. This was a great source of pride for the village community and it made them very happy. It is therefore a matter of deep regret that because of the prolonged war that our country experienced in the recent past, it has not been possible for my generation of Mendes to create the conditions in which we would have been able to welcome Mende in our village as our parents would have liked to see happen. Nevertheless, I can’t help feeling that when the roll is called up yonder, Mende will be there! and will stand with the Mende people of Serabu. Dennis, Idy and Jason, please accept our heartfelt condolences on the passing of our beloved Mende. May she rest in peace, Amen.

Abraham Smith, London, UK

Idy & Dennis. It's coming up on 3 years since I've seen my lovely friend, Mende. I think about Mende often. Her laugh, her positive upbeat personality and kind heart. She made a difference in my life. Thank you for raising such an amazing person. Her light was not put out... she lit many candles in her life with her kindness and friendship to many. We will keep her flame burning! I miss her and will always think about her. She is not forgotten. Sending my love to your family.