Emma Lourannia Devilbiss

Emma Lourannia Devilbiss, 95, of Perry, passed away on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at Dallas County Hospital in Perry.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home – Perry Chapel, 1721 Park Street, Perry. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service, beginning at 12:00 p.m. Burial will follow at Brethren Cemetery in Panora. Memorials may be directed to the family. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.caldwellparrish.com.

Emma was born on February 22, 1931, in Adel, Iowa, the daughter of James Ervin and Martell L. (Harmon) Telford. She grew up in the area and graduated from De Soto High School.

On October 27, 1955, Emma was united in marriage to Harry L. Devilbiss. Together, they were blessed with two children, Harry and Joyce.

Emma devoted much of her working life to caring for others. She worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and Medication Aide at Perry Lutheran Homes in Perry and the Woodward Resource Center in Woodward. She also worked at the Dallas County Care Facility in Adel for 25 years before enjoying a much-deserved retirement.

In her younger years, Emma enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening, canning, and quilting. As the years went on, she found happiness in the simple things in life. She loved playing cards, especially Skip-Bo. Emma could also often be found comfortably sitting in her chair working on word searches, watching the Game Show Network, keeping an eye on the world outside her window, or resting her eyes. She was also an Atlanta Braves fan and enjoyed watching baseball games.

Her mornings often included reading The Upper Room, and Wednesdays at Spring Valley meant BINGO. Emma had the luck of winning quite often. In the moments when luck wasn’t on her side, she was reminded that it was ok; jokingly telling her she needed to let someone else win once in a while.

More than anything, Emma will be remembered for the way she made people feel. No matter who you were; family or not, she made you feel at home. She would always tell you, “I don’t care what you eat, just don’t make yourself sick.” Emma loved her family deeply, treasured the time she spent with them, and would do anything for anyone. She had an incredibly big heart, was lighthearted; her kindness and generosity were simply part of who she was, not to mention her sense of humor.

Emma is survived by her son, Harry Devilbiss of Des Moines; daughter, Joyce Augustine of Perry; daughter-in-law, Korina Devilbiss of Warm Springs, Arkansas; four grandchildren, Jerico Devilbiss of Des Moines, Tanya Devilbiss of Des Moines, Brandy (Sheldon) Smith of Ponca City, Oklahoma, and Eric Augustine of Perry; 14 great-grandchildren; four great-great-granddaughters; and many other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Martell Telford; her husband, Harry Devilbiss; and her brother, James Jerome Telford.