Devita Barber was born June 7, 1956 to the late Ernest and Lucille Lee.  She departed this life on Monday, May 21, 2018 in Riverside Regional Medical Center after a brief illness.

Devita grew up in a family of six children and was educated in the Newport News Public School System and was a graduate of Warwick High School Class of 1974 and the Virginia Seminary College in Lynchburg, Virginia.

She was baptized at an early age at First Baptist Church East End under the pastorate of the late Reverend W. M. Brown, Sr.  Devita was active in the Youth Fellowship and in her young adult years she worked in the church office with Mrs. Willie Langford and drove the church van.  She enjoyed working with the children and the elderly.

In 1989, Devita was blessed with her one and only son, Trae, formally known as Billy Evans III.  She enjoyed being a mother and supported her son in all of his endeavors.  Devita later married Ben Barber and shared a life together for 21 years.

Devita never met a stranger and was kind, compassionate and loving to all.  She loved socializing and interacting with everyone.  She was also a nurturer, a trait that came from her paternal grandmother Lunell Lee, whom she was named after.  Aunt Vanae, Aunt Nae Nae , Benay and Auntie Nae Nae as she was affectionately known by her nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews, cared for, supported and traveled near and far with them.

In 2011 Devita retired as a Deputy Clerk of the Newport News Circuit Court after 30 years of dedicated service.  She later earned the title of Grandma and Granny and enjoyed being a grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Tyrone V. Lee; maternal grandmother, Shirley Brown; paternal grandparents, Robert and Lunell Lee.

Left to cherish many memories, her husband, Ben Barber; son, Trae Evans (Carla); grandchildren, Jasiah, Lovell, Tymir and Trae Jr.; sisters, Shirley Jones, Armeke Smith (Otis) and Letress Wooden (Jimmy); brother, Ernest Lee;  aunts, Minnie Purdue (Peter), Nancy Davenport (Ben) and Virginia Lee; mother-in-law, Irene Barber, sisters-in-law, Donzella Lee, Ruby Earley and Mary Dickens; brothers-in-law, Alvester Barber, James Barber and Charles Barber; a host of nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held 12 p.m., Friday, May 25, 2018 at First Baptist Church East End, 3000 Jefferson Avenue, Newport News.  Interment will follow in Hampton Memorial Gardens.  Viewing will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home and two hours prior to the service at the church on Friday.  O. H. Smith & Son Funeral Home is honored to serve the family.