Obituary of Bernadette Devlin

On Thursday, September 17th, 2020, Bernadette Devlin, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and avid conversationalist, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, at the tender age of 59. Bernadette was born on March 28th, 1961 in Baltimore, Maryland. Having survived 12 years of Catholic school and graduating from Mercy High School in 1979, she joined the United States Army in 1983 looking forward to a more laid-back lifestyle by comparison. During her military service, Bernadette was initially stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado before being sent to Honduras during the infamous Iran-Contra Affair to aid in the distribution of crucial supplies and wage war against the local spider population. Bravely defending the supply warehouse from invasion by eight-legged pests. Having stomped hundreds of spiders and handed out thousands of bolts, Bernadette returned to Fort Carson in 1986, after developing kidney disease. In October of the same year, her first daughter, Danielle Storm Arzapalo (Flores), was born. Several years later, after moving to Fairbanks, Alaska, (for some reason) Bernadette’s second daughter, Catharine Alice Devlin (Kate) was born on the coldest recorded day in Fairbanks’ history. Nine months later, Bernadette received a kidney from her older sister, Rose. This selfless act would grant Bernadette 30 more years to raise her daughters, tell jokes, and have many crazy adventures. Bernadette moved to Coralville, Iowa in 1998, and quickly made many new friends in the neighborhood and during her treatment at the VA hospital in Iowa City. Bernadette was delighted to welcome her first granddaughter, whom she would cherish, and not just because they had the same eyes, in 2006. Six years later Bernadette would welcome a second granddaughter who would go on to share her love of Disney and red flowers. Bernadette was an avid student of American history, able to call up obscure facts at a moments notice to anyone who would listen, and a voracious reader. Some of her favorite works included those of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, and Tom Clancy, and she enthusiastically shared stories with anyone. Bernadette enjoyed well-crafted jokes, clever word games, rock-and-roll music, Coke-a-Cola, and dancing to the song Walking on Sunshine, which she did even as a little girl, but not like lima beans. Never lima beans. Her parents Alice and Philip and her sister Mary Catherine preceded her in death. Bernadette is survived by her two daughters, her two granddaughters, Cherish and Scarlette, her sisters Patricia and Rose, brother Michael and several nieces and nephews including Vernon, Timothy, Timothy Jr. Stephanie, Hannah, little Holly, her beloved cousins Martha and Margaret, and extended family. Bernadette will be granted a full military service and interred with honor at the Rock Island National Cemetery on Wednesday, September 23rd at 11 a.m. It was often said of Bernadette that she never met a stranger, and knowing that, her family has invited anyone who wishes to attend her services to join them. Flowers or donations may be sent to the Gay and Ciha Funeral Home at 2720 Muscatine Avenue, Iowa City, IA 52240.