Remembrances of Devone Paulette Wohl

Devone Paulette Wohl was born October 1, 1970, and passed to life eternal with her Savior Jesus on February 26, 2026. She was the treasured daughter of Madelynn Matilda Heinrich/Kitzman/Wohl/Roll and Edward Paul Wohl after whom she was named.

Devone was an amazing, God-given gift to our family. Her father Ed had always wanted a child, and her mother longed for another. When Devone was placed in Mother’s arms, Mother’s body shook as she wept uncontrollably, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks.

Devone was an energetic, mischievous child, often turning her baby-walker into a battering ram, knocking down heavy plywood barriers and tumbling down a flight of stairs, screeching with delight all the way down, while terrifying us. Ed had endless patience with Devone; he would follow her around the house, gently re-directing her every few minutes. But she was the joy of his life, and in his eyes, she could do no wrong.

Ed died suddenly when Devone was only two and a half years old. She could not understand why her hero did not come home as he had done every day. It was heart-breaking to see her standing by the picture window all day long, waiting for Ed to appear on the walkway to our front door. At night, she would cry softly and pull her hair out. In the morning her pillow would be wet and filled with locks of her beautiful red hair. Perhaps this was a harbinger of the many hardships Devone would endure in her life.

Mother and we all rallied to support and love Devone as best they could, while Mother worked two jobs to support us. In 1974, Mother remarried to Raymond Roll, who loved and doted on Devone, but who unfortunately died only a few years later at a young age.

Devone was very intelligent. After graduating from Bismarck High School, she was accepted to Bismarck State College Med Tech program. She got decent grades, but struggled with one particular course. After a discouraging interaction from the course professor (“single moms never, ever make it through this course”) she took a pause to raise her son Nathan.

Richard Hatley, her boyfriend at the time, loved Nathan as his own, and together, Richard and Devone made a home and raised Nathan.

Devone was extremely close to Mother, who was always there to console, advise, comfort, support, and help Devone with her warm embrace, gentle, wise advice, patience and understanding.

After Mother died however, Devone became unanchored. She was again lost and consumed with grief, confusion, and anguish. Devone had had chronic pain due to a medical problems, and became addicted to opiates, decades before their dangerous potential to kill and destroy lives was recognized. She eventually became heavily addicted, then became homeless, abused, and frequently in trouble with the law.

A turning point came when Devone began to warm to our suggestion that the legal charges against her had become the main obstacle preventing her from getting the help she needed. She would stand for hours in the shadows near the police station, trying to get the courage to turn herself in. One day as we talked and prayed with her, she took this pivotal step. We thank God for guiding her and helping her to be brave, courageous, and trusting.

Her recovery journey was difficult. After some time in jail, she was accepted to Teen Challenge. She did well for quite a while but then checked herself out. This pattern repeated itself with relapse, homelessness, and hopelessness. But it seemed that each relapse was shorter, and she was developing coping skills and insight. Finally, she was accepted into the inpatient treatment at Heartview Foundation and her recovery began. We remember with great joy and gratitude to God when she received her purple coin for her 30-day recovery, and then her golden butterfly coin commemorating her 1-year recovery. At the time of her death, she had been sober nearly 8 years. We are so very proud of her, and very thankful to all those who helped her.

Devone’s poignant recovery journey was chronicled in an article published in 2023 and is available on-line at: Aging with addiction: Alone, marginalized, and maligned

Devone sometimes wondered if, even after recovery, her life would ever improve. While there were still many difficult times, there were numerous joys which we remember with gratitude and wish to share below.

She met Michael Babcock, who also struggled with addiction, and helped lead the way by starting his own recovery with Heartview. Devone cherished her companionship with Mike. Together, they supported and loved each other, and their two cats, Min and Hope. When Mike died suddenly in 2023, Devone was again lost and adrift, grieving and in pain, but succeeded in maintaining her sobriety.

Mike’s parents, Linda and Nick Babcock, Devone’s counselors at Heartview, her personal therapist, Tessa Sicble, her physicians Drs. Henke and Henderson, her son Nathan, and her siblings and friends stood with Devone and were instrumental in helping her move forward despite this terrible loss.

In September 2025, with help from her Adult Abuse Advocate, Alicia Joritz, Devone was able to move into a modern, spacious apartment. We cherished the video Alicia shared with us of Devone, wide-eyed in disbelief when she first saw her beautiful new apartment. She gasped in delight as she entered each room, stroked the countertops to make sure she wasn’t in a dream, and then exclaimed, “I have my own washer and dryer! I can’t believe it!” We give so much thanks that Devone was able to have some comfort and security the last few months of her life.

During her sober years, Devone displayed the best characteristics of our mother. She was loving, generous, kind, endlessly patient, and wanted to help everyone. She took calls from her siblings, son, and others when they needed to talk, have a sympathetic ear, or receive wise advice. Each of us thought that she was our own personal confidante and comforter. She was so generous with her time and attention that we believed we had her all to ourselves. Only after she died, and we compared notes, did we realize she had done this for everyone in the family, for neighbors, and for many others in the community. She almost never failed to answer the phone and listen patiently and dispense comfort, understanding and gentle advice even when she was not feeling well.

Devone had prayed for her son Nathan as he navigated many daunting life challenges. During the past year, she got to see him make enormous progress which rightfully made her so proud of him. We are grateful that she and Nathan got to spend a lot of time together, talking, sharing, supporting, and helping each other, and became closer than ever.

During Thanksgiving 2025, Devone got to host her teenaged grandson, Parker, at her new apartment, and for the first time was able to have an extended visit with him. She was so proud that Parker wanted to stay with her. Devone beamed with pride that she could be a doting grandmother providing a comfortable place to relax, play together, and share.

We are so to God for all these blessings that He provided to Devone in the last years of her life, but we are especially grateful for His gift of faith. All her life, and especially when she was still in active addiction and homeless, she felt profoundly unworthy. She would say, “God knows what I have done; how could He ever love me?” We had to repeatedly remind her that Christ came for the lost, the hurting, the sinners, which is all of us. We sent her devotional books, shared online devotions, and prayed with her, and prayed for her. She felt welcomed when she attended Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church with her brother Dale’s family and her son Nathan. When the 2020 pandemic began, she began worshipping regularly online with her brother Dalane’s church in Lexington, North Carolina, First Evangelical Lutheran Church. She also attended Bible studies regularly. We saw Devone transformed from being doubtful and fearful of God, to embracing Jesus and confidently basking in His Love!! For this blessing, we are the most grateful of all.

Devone not only received the love of Jesus, but she also shared it. Her brother Dale recounts that when he took her to Walmart, she would often see a homeless person at the edge of the parking lot and absolutely insist that he drive her over there. She would hop out of Dale’s truck, talk with the person, comfort them, and give them all of whatever small amount of money she had. If Dale protested, Devone would say, “I’ve been there; I’ve been that person; I cannot pass them by; they need it more than me!”

The week before she died, Devone sent a text message to someone who was worried. It displays the love and encouragement Devone regularly dispensed:

“Just a quick text to let you know that you are in my thoughts and prayers and that I couldn't love you more if I tried! Also, a reminder that He is with us the most when things are the worst, and that's also when He's speaking to us quietly even when it's the hardest time for us to hear Him!! I know with absolute certainty that our Father is holding you close and lifting you up like never before right now! Whatever is to come it's truly His way!! I love you and you are never far from my mind and always in my heart no matter what!!”

So, we give thanks to God that He walked with Devone, held her in His arms through her difficult journey, led her to triumph over addiction, pain, and doubt, gave her so many blessings in her final years, and gently took her to His bosom to live with Him in paradise. She is now celebrating God’s love, goodness, and mercy with her mother, father, stepfather, grandparents, and beloved boyfriend, Mike.

Devone is survived by her son, Nathaniel Wohl, adoptive daughter, grandchildren Parker and Danica Wohl, siblings Dale (Ladonna) Kitzman, Dalane (Debra) Kitzman, and Delores Farrell, friend Richard Hatley, nephews Jordon and Jesse Kitzman and Michael Landenberger, nieces Allysea (Gus) Gantzer, Bryanna Kitzman, and Katelyn (David) Kitzman Smith, and her beloved cats, Min and Hope.

Services will be held on Friday, March 13, 2026, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 801 E Denver Ave, Bismarck, North Dakota. Visitation will begin at 1:00 PM, memorial service will start at 2:00 PM, with refreshments and light food afterward.

We close by telling our dear Devone what she always told us at the end of each call or text message: “Dearest Devone, we love you to moon and back and more than all the stars.”