David Lorenz Devine loved a good story.

Every Sunday morning, after worship, with Premier League soccer playing in the background,

David would settle into the corner of the couch with the Minneapolis Star Tribune. He always

saved the obituaries for last, reading every one. On occasion he would comment, "Oh, this is a

good one." When asked why he read the obituaries of people he did not know, David answered

simply, "Everyone's life is important. Everyone's story matters."

David's life mattered. And the heartbreak of his death matters, too.

David's story began on what he never failed to announce was "the single greatest day of the

year," May 31, 1967. He was the eldest son of Dennis D. Devine and Carolyn Ann (Hanson)

Devine and was raised with his younger brother, Daniel, in Laguna Niguel, California, during the

1970s and 80s. He graduated from Dana Hills High School in 1985 and spent four summers

working as a lifeguard with Lifeguard International. Lifeguarding reflected who David was:

vigilant, attentive, protective, aware of both beauty and danger, and always urging others to pay

attention.

In 1985, David left California to attend St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he

majored in English and played all four years as a starting defender on the men's soccer team-

UM YA YA! When asked why he chose Minnesota, David would grin and say, "To meet a

wonderful woman to marry." In January 1989, during an interim class at Holden Village in the

Cascade Mountains, he met Erika Nilsen, or "Miss America" as David referred to her. No one

ever doubted that Erika was the love of David's life. On August 1, 1992, they joined their stories

in marriage.

In 1995, the "teacher and preacher" team moved to Aitkin, Minnesota, where Erika began her

ministry and David began teaching English at Brainerd High School. Later they would move to

Baxter, MN and raise their 3 children while David continued to teach and Erika found a home at

Lord of Life Lutheran Church.

For 30 years, "Teacher Extraordinaire, Mr. Devine" welcomed thousands of young people into

his classroom to learn about writing, literature, and life. He began every class by thanking

students for being present and asking, "What's happening in your world?" Whether on the soccer

pitch or in the classroom, David's athletes and students knew they were in the care of an adult

who truly wanted to know them and learn their stories. Outside the classroom, David was a fierce

advocate for the teaching profession. He earned his MA in Curriculum and Instruction from the

University of St. Thomas. He later earned an MA in Administration from St. Cloud State

University and promptly put it in a drawer. His calling was people, not management. David

served on the teachers' union contract bargaining team for 12 years, helping negotiate six

contracts. During those years, he perfected what friends affectionately called his "cantankerous

righteousness." He was honest, intelligent, opinionated, and deeply kind. He defended dignity

wherever it was threatened and never shied away from doing the right thing, often adding with a

smile, "I am a nice guy, once you get to know me."

The greatest stories David ever told were the stories of his children, Hanson, Signe, and Mari. He

delighted in their music, sports, achievements, questions, and passions, cheering them on through

recitals, concerts, meets, games, confirmations, graduations, and countless everyday moments.

Watching them grow into adulthood was one of the great joys of his life, and he lived proudly

and unashamedly through their adventures. David's proudest and saddest moments in his life

were when each of his children entered adulthood and started their own stories beyond the family

home on Grand Oaks Drive.

David shared that it bothered him when obituaries did not name the cause of death. Before his

death he made clear that he wanted his to be known. On Christmas night, surrounded by his wife,

children, and his brother, under the gentle glow of the Christmas tree lights in the simple home

he loved, David's final chapter came to a close at the far-too-young age of 58. David died of

acute liver failure and irreversible kidney damage as a result of alcohol addiction, a tragic

convergence of years of excessive drinking, an unwillingness to seek help, and ultimately the

inability to stop. This is not the whole of David's story, but it is an inescapable part of it. It is

shared not with shame, but with hope. Hope that someone reading this, whether you knew David

or not, might find healing or new life in your own story. Because, as David believed, everyone's

life is important. Everyone's story matters.

David is survived by his wife, Erika Nilsen; his children, Hanson Lorenz, Signe Irene, and Mari

Carolyn; his brother, Daniel Devine; and his niece, Remi. He was preceded in death by his

parents, Dennis and Carolyn Devine.

A celebration of David's life will be held at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Baxter, Minnesota,

on Saturday, January 17, at 1:00 p.m., with visitation beginning at 12:00 p.m. A visitation will

also be held on Friday, January 16, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Lord of Life Lutheran

Church. Live stream link: https://youtube.com/live/vUekeEn6jIY

In lieu of flowers, please support what David cared about most: public radio, feeding hungry

children, community, and church. Consider KAXE, Operation Sandwich, the YMCA, Lord of

Life Lutheran Church, or similar organizations in your own community.

David loved a good story.

Tell a good story with your life.