Jeannine Dorothy Ida Ball DeVault, age 94, passed away peacefully on Nov. 2, at the West Virginia Caring facility in Elkins.
Jeannine was born May 31, 1929, in East McKeesport, Pa., to Kenneth G. and Goldie Mae Mallow Ball. She was the last surviving member of her family.
She is survived by her children, Cynthia Jane Zawojski (Peter), of Morgantown, William Scott DeVault (Sandra), of Morgantown, Barbara Ann Hupka (Myles), of Huntley, Mont., and David Randolph DeVault, of Morgantown. Grandchildren also survive her, William Preston Puckett (Joy) of Newport News, Va., Adam Scott DeVault (Jennifer) DeVault of Morgantown, and Elizabeth Brooke (Corey) Ray of Peters Township, Pa.; and great-grandchildren, William Andrew Puckett (Mary) of Morgantown, and Andrea Lynne Puckett of Newport News, Va., and Henry William DeVault of Morgantown; along with several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, William (Bill) G. DeVault, and son-in-law, Peter Zawojski, Jr. Also preceding her death were her brothers, Kenneth Ball and Robert Ball.
Jeannine was the youngest of three children and the only daughter. In her early life, she tried chasing after her older brothers and loved helping her father; she was a little bit of a tomboy. Her family moved from Pennsylvania to Globe Avenue in Morgantown and then to the Rumble Farm, located in Triune-Halleck. Shortly after the move, her parents bought a farm in Monongalia County. Jeannine attended the Martin School House, and she attended Newburg High School. During her senior year, she was a princess at the Preston County Buckwheat Festival. She graduated in 1948 and then studied at West Virginia University.
During a business trip to the farm by Bill, Jeannine meets her future husband. He was purchasing livestock from her mother. You could say, “She was the farmer’s daughter.” One of their first dates was a trip to the stockyards to sell cattle, and over the years, they made many more of those trips.
They were married on June 3, 1950, at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Gladesville. During their life together, they were an awesome team, raising four wonderful children, operating a meat packing plant, and two farms, which consisted of cattle, sheep for a short period, hay, and truck crops. Jeannine never held an 8 to 5 job; her workday was much longer, and with her responsibilities, she would have needed more time for one.
Jeannine was happy being a wife, mother, and business partner. She was always “busy” — her talents ranged from cooking and canning to crocheting, embroidering, tatting, knitting, and sewing. She also had a green thumb for putting in bountiful gardens, as well as multiple flower gardens. People came from miles around to see her collection of irises and to admire the peony-lined driveway.
She was an exceptional seamstress and an avid quilter — receiving numerous Best of Show Awards and many ribbons; she was the featured quilter at the 2015 Monongalia County Fair, displaying 25 quilts and the antique quilting frame made by her father.
She loved to read and loved history, especially West Virginia history. She loved exploring the family genealogies and traveling through the state investigating the cemeteries of her ancestors.
Despite her day-to-day activities, Jeannine made time to be involved in the local community, the county, and at the state level for various organizations. She was a member of the Brown’s Halleck Community Association, Brown’s Chapel 4-H Club, Triune-Halleck Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, and the West Virginia Farm Bureau. She was a life-long member of the Monongalia County CEOs, where she held both county and state offices and had the honor of serving as the Monongalia County Bell. Jeannine was very instrumental in securing city water for the eastern section of Monongalia County; she helped lead the efforts to permanently move the seventh grade class of the Brown’s Chapel Elementary School to attend Westover Junior High.
In addition to all these commitments and accomplishments, she was always there for her family, neighbors, and friends. Jeannine was respected by many for her guidance and wisdom. She was down to earth in her reasoning and her approach to life. She never met a stranger, always a kind word and encouragement. She assisted in preparing meals for the performers for the Monongalia County fair and met country music artist Crystal Gayle, who insisted on coming back to the kitchen and having dinner with her and the other cooks. On a trip to Virginia, she and Cynthia stopped for gas; as they were parking, a man walked in front of them and went inside. Jeannine approached him, and she asked him if anyone had ever told him that he looked like Oliver North. He grinned, and while she patted his forearm, she said, “You are Oliver North!” then they carried on a brief conversation.
Visitation will be Tuesday, Nov. 7, from 3-7 p.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 8, from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service at Dering—Henson Funeral Home. Burial will follow in the Pisgah Cemetery, Morgantown.
Flowers are also appreciated, and donations can be made to West Virginia Caring, 519 G Road, Arthurdale, WV. 26520.
Caring services are provided by Dering—Henson Funeral Home.
