Kathleen Talley Devereux's Obituary
Kathleen Talley Devereux - 1948-2020
Devereux, Kathleen Talley - Passed away on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. Kathleen was a beautiful, kind and loving daughter, sister, aunt, niece, cousin and friend to many. She was born in Dallas on October 2, 1948, and grew up in the Park Cities, where she developed lifelong friendships. She graduated from Highland Park High School in 1966 and kept in touch with her closest friends.
Kathleen’s genuine warmth, love, sunshine, dimples and infectious giggle always made you feel at home. She dearly loved and was so proud of her nephews and nieces and their families. She was the coolest aunt — whether she had you over to dinner, took you to the ballet or a concert, her great conversation and storytelling made every experience memorable. She had a significant influence on everyone.
An avid music fan, Kathleen loved The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, Jackson Browne, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Little Feat, The Allman Brothers Band, Leon Russell, David Byrne and Linda Ronstadt. A world traveler who loved adventure, she enjoyed living in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Francisco and Ithaca, New York.
Kathleen was a spiritual soul who loved feathers, wind, sky and nature. We can see her all around us in the fall butterflies and hear her stories through her favorite songs. She is an angel who has flown to Heaven and is watching over us.
Following in her physician father’s footsteps, Kathleen worked in the healthcare industry most of her life.
She attended the University of Oklahoma from 1966-1967 and Southern Methodist University from 1967-1968. She began her career in the field of dentistry and secured her Lab Technician Certification at the American Dental Laboratory School in 1972. She worked as a Lab Technician, Dental Lab and Clinical Technician, Infection Control Manager and Office Manager for various dental practices in Dallas.
Later in life, Kathleen went back to school to become a Registered Massage Therapist. A compassionate caregiver, she provided high-quality and caring massage therapy to her clients. She enjoyed giving the joy of relaxation and relief from pain as she felt it was very important for bodies, minds and souls to receive positive and nurturing touch. She studied at the Finger Lakes School of Massage in Ithaca, New York, in 1999 and received her New York State Massage Therapy License in 2000. She received her Texas State Massage Therapy License in 2002 and and her Texas Massage Therapy Instructor License in 2004. She was also a member of the International Massage Association.
She was a Massage Therapist for Bodyworks Massage Therapy in Ithaca, NY; White Rock Athletic Club, the L Spa at the Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center and Spa Nordstrom at NorthPark in the Dallas area. At Spa Nordstrom, she was the Lead Massage Therapist and trainer for new hires. In 2006, she received a five-star recognition pin for outstanding job performance from Baylor Health Care System. She also had her own massage practice and taught infant massage classes to parents. In 2016, she retired from Spa Nordstrom due to complications from rheumatoid arthritis.
She also volunteered for the Lakeside Nursing Home in Ithaca, NY, KERA membership drives, Munger Place Porchfest and the Parkland Hospital Gift Shop.
Kathleen is preceded in death by her parents William Perkins Devereux M.D. and Martha Talley Devereux. She is survived by her siblings William Perkins Devereux of Austin, Mary Lynn Devereux Bowman (Jim) of Burnsville, North Carolina, and Julien Porter Devereux (Barb) of Dallas; nephew William E. “Dub” Taylor (Mona) of Austin, niece Wendi Taylor Fuller (Derek) of Dallas, nephew Julien Noah Devereux (Danielle) of Austin, nieces Michelle Devereux (Max) of Austin and Andrea Devereux (Zack) of Philadelphia; two grand-nephews, four grand-nieces and several cousins.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Sunday, October 25, 2020, at 2 p.m. at the Memorial Chapel at Restland Memorial Park at 13005 Greenville Ave. Dallas, TX 75243. The service will follow COVID-19 protocols and will also be live streamed. http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/39340
Kathleen cherished all kinds of animals — especially her beloved companion, her 16-year-old cat Hannah. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the SPCA of Texas.
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