A Lifetime, A Legacy: Cecile Dever

As another school year begins, many students are lamenting the end of the summer season and the schoolwork that’s coming their way. Meanwhile, many adults are reminiscing about their own school experiences and the individuals they encountered throughout their educational journey – including the teachers and faculty members who made positive impacts on their lives.

Cecile and Fran Dever on their wedding day in November 1950.

For many of the alumni from Sea Isle City’s public school on Park Road that closed in 2012, memories of their beloved school nurse, Cecile Dever, will once again come to mind.

Mrs. Dever, who died in September at the age of 99, was born to Jeremiah and Irene Aubrey on Dec. 29, 1925 in Holyoke, Mass. The family moved to Kearny, N.J., a suburb of Newark, when she was 7. After graduating from Kearny High School, she attended Jersey City Medical Nursing School, which was the start of an extensive nursing career that would carry her across the state of New Jersey and allow her to touch the lives of many people.

After completing nursing school, Mrs. Dever would occasionally travel by bus to visit friends who lived in Cape May County. One day in the late 1940s, while riding the bus through Sea Isle City, she noticed that there was a local hospital and thought that this might be a nice place to live. So, she moved to Sea Isle, alone – leaving behind her parents, her sisters Claire and Jeanette, and her brother Paul in North Jersey. That display of self-confidence and independence helped make her a standout among the women of her generation, and it would also be the start of her bright future in Cape May County.

Mrs. Dever’s first job in Sea Isle City was at Surf Hospital, on the 5800 block of Landis Avenue (one of two hospitals that existed in the community during the 20th century). Surf Hospital was operated by Dr. Frank Dealy (the namesake of Dealy Field), who owned a vintage brick house on the southwest corner of 49th Street and Pleasure Avenue. The good doctor had an office on the first floor and several nurses (including Mrs. Dever) rented rooms on the upper levels.

Before long, a fellow nurse introduced Cecile to Fran Dever, whose family has resided in Sea Isle City since the day it was founded in the 1880s by Charles K. Landis. They married in November 1950 at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Kearny; and afterward they returned to Sea Isle to begin their 64-year marriage. They would produce 12 children: Danny, Cecile, Paul, Susan, John, Janice, Judy, James, Matt, Rob, Yvonne, and Denise. Those children would ultimately give Mrs. Dever 27 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren, each calling her “Me-Mere” (a nod to her French-Canadian heritage).

“Cecile married Fran and became our cousin, embracing the large Dever, Feeney, and Bonnit extended family,” says Sandy Bonnit, whose mother was Fran’s first cousin. “She was a truly inspirational figure, and I learned so much from her about family and the love of children, as well as the importance of education and lifelong learning. Cecile had so many roles, and she was dedicated to family, faith and community. She was a woman before her time.”

Cecile and Fran Dever at a family wedding.

As one can imagine, a growing family such as the Devers’ required plenty of hard work and attention – and, with 12 children, a trusted babysitter was invaluable. Mariann (nee Keenan) Kuttler was one of the Devers’ first babysitters.

“Cecile was a patient, gentle woman, and a mentor to me,” says Kuttler, whose parents were close friends with Fran and Cecile.

After babysitting for them for several years and building bonds with the growing Dever family, Kuttler and her brother, Pete Keenan, were asked to be godparents for the Devers’ eighth child. However, Kuttler recalls that the Devers couldn’t decide whether to name their newborn son James Luke or Luke James (Cecile wanted the former, and Fran the latter). When the child’s baptism day finally arrived, Kuttler was a little worried that she would say the boy’s name backwards during the ceremony at St. Joseph Church. However, the baptism went smoothly and “James Luke” was christened with a crowd of loving family members and friends around him. And even though Mrs. Dever’s choice of first name was ultimately chosen, her husband would refer to James as “Luke” for the rest of his life.

In time, Kuttler would follow in Mrs. Dever’s footsteps and also become a nurse, and the two often enjoyed memorable conversations about their shared profession.

“Friendship is a priceless gift, and I believe we don’t choose our friends, God gives them to us,” notes Kuttler, who says she feels blessed that Mrs. Dever was her dear friend of many years.

As the Dever family continued to grow, the parents maintained their careers. Fran worked in a local business founded by his father, Edward H. Dever and Sons Boatyard, which was located on the corner of 44th Street and Venicean Road (a prime location, adjacent to Sea Isle’s main causeway bridge at the time).

Mrs. Dever, always eager to expand her knowledge, continually polished her nursing skills. Around the time that the Sisters of Mercy (a Catholic order of nuns) took over Surf Hospital and renamed it Mercy Hospital, Mrs. Dever began working at the Lutheran Nursing Home on Route 9. Later, she was hired as a school nurse at Sea Isle City Public School – with the caveat that she would obtain a school nursing certificate. To fulfill that requirement, in her early 60s Mrs. Dever attended night classes at Glassboro State College (now Rowan University), where she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing and the certificate that secured her position at the Park Road school.

Along the way, while juggling busy careers and occasionally squeezing in a night of dancing at Zaberer’s or the Starlight Ballroom in the Wildwoods, the Devers raised their children on the 200 block of 47th Street, just steps away from where Fran grew up. Meanwhile, Santa Pittaluga and her husband, Frank, were raising their six children next door.

“We raised our kids together and we all got along great,” said Mrs. Pittaluga, who attended Catholic Daughter meetings with Mrs. Dever at St. Joseph Church, and recalls that her dear neighbor had strong faith in God and “never said a bad word about anyone.”

Nurse Cecile Aubrey Dever

She notes that “Cecile was educated and could use big words. It was wonderful being on the block together. Back then, we lived in small houses, little bungalows, and Cecile and I would often have coffee together – and hang laundry together. She was always hanging clothes out to dry.”

Obviously, 12 children can generate mountains of laundry, including many cloth diapers – and it was not uncommon for the Devers to have three children in diapers at one time. Also notable is the fact that Cecile raised her 12 children during a time when old-fashioned washing machines with hand-cranked water rollers were not uncommon – way before anyone heard of “high efficiency” washer-dryers.

Even though extended family members, good friends and close neighbors can know a person very well, it’s often a mother’s children who tend to know a woman better than anyone else – and that is certainly true for Mrs. Dever and her beloved offspring, each of whom remembers their mother fondly.

“At Halloween she knew the name of every kid who came to our door – and they knew her,” says Cecile Pratzner, her oldest daughter who lovingly welcomed her parents into her home to care for them during their later years, and, like her mother, is also a nurse.

“Mom had a lot of faith in God, and she kept a plaque at the top of our kitchen cabinets that read ‘The family that prays together stays together,’” she adds, also recalling that Mrs. Dever enjoyed praying the rosary with her children during the evening hours.

Also, according to Pratzner, her mother continually remained in contact with the people she loved, and that Mrs. Dever regularly corresponded with others through the mail: “She wrote many letters to family and friends, she remembered everyone’s birthday, and she always mailed Christmas cards – loads of them – and she encouraged us to do the same.”

Paul Dever, the third child born into the growing Dever clan, remembers his mother as “kind, caring and quiet ... the best mom ever.”

Janice Van Osten, the Devers’ sixth child, who, like her mom and sister Cecile is also a nurse, remembers her mother as “loving, caring and supportive.”

Says Judy Dever, the seventh child: “Our mom wasn’t just the local school nurse, she was the neighborhood nurse, because neighbors and local kids would come to her if they hurt themselves – or if they needed stitches removed and wanted to save themselves another trip to the doctor’s office. “She studied nutrition and food throughout her career; and people would call and explain their issues to her, and she would suggest specific vitamins to help them.” She notes that her mother continually researched medical journals to keep her nursing skills sharp.

“My mom also spent many afternoons with one of her best friends, Rose Resye, who lived very close by,” adds Judy. “They often could be found sitting at Rose’s kitchen table drinking tea or taking walks together, while sharing the challenges that were going on in their lives and offering each other comfort and support.”

“All the students and staff loved her,” adds her son James Luke, who attended Sea Isle City Public School when his mother became the school’s nurse. “She was truly loved by all, especially her family and friends.”

Mrs. Dever’s ninth child, Matt, recalls that his mother always stayed calm, no matter what the circumstances. “She never got upset with us, even when we were running around the house, destroying things and swinging on the doors,” he says with a smile.

“Our mom didn’t always know where all of us were at any one time, so she would just pray,” says Rob, the Devers’ youngest son.

“My mom taught us to never give up and always pray, no matter what,” adds their 11th child, Yvonne.

In addition to their parents, aunts and uncles, Cecile’s many grandchildren also lovingly remember her …

Cecile and Fran Dever wth their 12 children.

“With 12 children and a house that never stood still, my Me-Mere always seemed to radiate calm and love – and I understand now what a quiet kind of strength that was,” says granddaughter Katrina Guzman (Matt’s daughter).

Katrina’s older sister, Paige Boer, agrees, adding that her grandmother was guided by her deep faith and formidable strength: “She spent her life putting others first, she faced every challenge with quiet courage, and was devoted to positively enhancing the lives of her family, friends and neighbors – and she instilled the same core values that defined her own life in her children.”

“Me-Mere was my most valuable teacher, and she led by example,” recalls granddaughter Chelsea Doak (Yvonne’s daughter). “When I was very young, she would bring me to her morning prayer group and then to a few houses where she took aid and offered support to older women in Sea Isle – only after stopping at Maryanne’s Bakery for a doughnut, of course! She was a true pillar of the community, and watching how she took care of everyone, even being so young, I knew how important a person she was to her neighborhood and those around her.”

“She was always loving and caring, not only to her family but to everyone she came into contact with,” says grandson Michael Dever (John’s son), who also appreciated Cecile’s kindness and patience.

Following a lifetime that included a loving marriage … raising a large brood of children who gave her dozens of adoring grandchildren and great-grandchildren … a nursing career that displayed her love for humanity and appreciation for lifelong learning … the enjoyment of cherished neighbors and friends … a strong faith in God … a tremendous devotion to her community … and even being named “1998 Sweetheart of the Year” by the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce … Mrs. Dever passed away on Sept. 23, 2025, just a few months prior to her 100th birthday.

After a well-attended visitation session at St. Joseph Church, Mrs. Dever’s funeral Mass began with a loving tribute read by her granddaughter, Lauren Barnhart (Susan’s daughter), which brought tears to many eyes. Afterward, Mrs. Dever was laid to rest at Cape May County Veterans Cemetery, next to her husband Fran, who died in 2014.

Though she is gone, she is certainly not forgotten, and memories of Mrs. Dever will remain in the hearts of all those who knew and loved her – including her family, friends and neighbors, and the countless students and patients she comforted with her well-honed nursing skills and calm, gentle nature.