Yukon who is who

John Devries (b. 1945)

John Devries was born in the Netherlands and came to Canada with his parents, Wiebe Devries and Geeskje Lenos, in 1947. He was educated in Ontario and married Henriette Gwendyke Dryer.¹⁾ Devries and his family moved to the Yukon from Summerland in 1974 and he worked for Earl Boose Stone Sheep Outfitters. In the off-season he worked for a Watson Lake sawmill, was president of the local gun club, and sat as the chair of the school council. He guided, expedited for local outfitters, and started a small taxidermy shop.²⁾

Devries was elected to the Yukon Legislature in 1989 and 1992 representing the Yukon Party in the Watson Lake district. He was a cabinet minister from 1992 to 1994. He was elected again in 1994 and served as the Speaker in the legislature until 1996.³⁾ Devries was defeated by Dennis Fentie when he ran again in 1996.⁴⁾

In 2004, John Devries received the Leland Award at the Guide Outfitters of British Columbia convention and in 2013 he was awarded the G.C.F. Dalziel Outstanding Guide award for being an excellent sheep hunter.⁵⁾ In 2020, Devries was still very active in the community and a member of the Watson Lake Chamber of Commerce. The Town of Watson Lake elected him as a new councillor in a December 3rd byelection.⁶⁾