Out of his own struggles growing up in the small town of Dorr, Michigan, Dwayne DeVries came to understand and value the importance of hard work, community, and a strong support network.
After Dwayne’s recent passing, people from all walks of life have been coming forward with stories of his generosity, charismatic goodwill, and friendship: He housed a friend recovering from a rattlesnake bite, provided financial support to another friend too sick to work, pitched in to help friends move on many occasions, and once spent a week in the high desert helping a friend look for his lost son and his friend.
He was very much the Santa Barbara entrepreneur, having successfully built and sold several local businesses in building inspections and related environmental assessments and remediation. He had a reputation for thoroughness and rock-solid integrity. He was a legal expert witness in his field. As an inspector who never compromised in finding all the problems, he was often loved or dreaded, depending on which side of the real estate deal you were on.
