Charlotte "Char" De Vries

CHARLOTTE CLARA (JAGER) De VRIES was born to Hans and Charlotte (Thom) Jager on May 11, 1938. She was born at the Hadley Corner on the way to the Murray County Hospital. She was baptized at St. John's Lutheran Church in Woodstock, Minnesota on October 2nd, 1938. Hans, Charlotte and their girls attended St. John's Church in Woodstock where Charlotte was confirmed in 1951.

Charlotte was the second of three daughters that grew up on the family farm near Woodstock. She attended country school in District 26 in Murray County. She graduated from Lynd High School in 1956. While attending high school she enjoyed singing in choir and playing the saxophone.

Mynard met Charlotte through Mynard's father's business. Her family bought equipment through them. Mynard knew she was available and drove to her house and picked her up for their first date. In 1959, Charlotte married Mynard De Vries at St. James Lutheran Church in Holland, Minnesota. They made their home in Pipestone where they raised three children: Debra, Kevin and Carmen.

Charlotte and Mynard owned and operated the Arrow Motel and De Vries Country Store for many years. Despite all of the calls of owning a motel, the family always answered the call to church each Sunday morning at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Pipestone.

Charlotte had a passion for collecting antique Victorian-era furniture, art glass and dolls. Additionally, she enjoyed ceramics, tending to her flower beds, serving for Helping Hands, Meals on Wheels and making banners for Trinity Lutheran Church in Jasper, where they attended church later in life.

On October 31, 2020, Charlotte suffered a stroke. After her recovery, Mynard and Charlotte moved into Ridgeview Estates in Pipestone. They made their home there for 5½ years. Charlotte was not able to attend church much with the condition her stroke left her in. So, she watched Main Street Living in her home. Her pastor visited her often, bringing her Holy Communion. Charlotte suffered a bowel repair and pneumonia which ultimately took her to Pipestone County Hospice. She entered hospice care on July 6, 2026. Charlotte's favorite Bible verse was, "Be still and know that I AM God."

Charlotte answered her final call home on July 10, 2026 at the age of 88.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Mynard of Pipestone; two children, Carmen (Gary) Hailey of Pipestone, and Kevin (Deb) DeVries of Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Debra Gohr; two sisters, Betty Suda and Bernice Ratgen; and one stillborn grandson, Steven De Vries.