DAVID JOHNSTON DEVINE
1931-2019
David Johnston Devine was born on the 5th of February 1931, in Houston, TX. He died peacefully of natural causes in Houston on Thursday, the 7th of November 2019, at the age of 88.
Dave grew up in Tampico, Mexico where Spanish became his first language. He remained fluent throughout his life and always enjoyed using his language skills. He especially loved seeing the surprised look on people’s faces when they heard the blue-eyed “guero” speak.
Dave came back to the
U.S. to attend high school at Schreiner Institute in Kerrville. He then moved on to the Rice Institute where two life-shaping events occurred; he played baseball and he met Carolyn Douglas. As a baseball player, Dave was unanimously named as an all-Southwest Conference selection and Carolyn would become his wife of 47 years. Love of Carolyn and support of Rice University and its athletics would be his passions. After two years in the U.S. Army, Dave and Carolyn returned to Houston to settle down and raise their family. Dave spent his life in dedication to that family – never missing a recital or a game and later providing countless hours of dedicated care to Carolyn as she battled illness. This dedication would later be fully repaid by his wife, Pam.
In addition to being a devoted husband and father, one of the activities that Dave wholeheartedly enjoyed, and truly excelled at, was coaching youth sports. He coached many championship teams – leaving lasting impressions on his players that remain to this day. Dave’s dedication to his family was spiced up by a readiness always to join family and friends for a gathering and a good time and he was known for his ability to fill a room with laughter – both his own and others’. He spent many a Saturday night watching baseball, playing bridge, or dancing – and doing them well.
For the last 16 years, Dave was blessed by the company of his second wife, Pam. Through a shared passion for Rice, a new family to care about, and an expanded view toward travel, they created many wonderful new memories. Pam’s tender care for Dave at the end of his life was a testament to their time together.
Dave was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn Douglas Devine; by his parents, Franklin French Devine and Elizabeth Masterson Devine; by his brother, Franklin French Devine Jr; and by his sister, Patricia Devine Ritch.
He is survived by his wife, Pamela Smith Devine; by his daughter, Kirby Elizabeth Simmons and John Simmons,
John Austin, Carolyn and A.J. House and their two children, JJ and Evelyn; by his son, David Johnston Devine Jr, and Lynne Armstrong Devine, Kelsey Elizabeth and Andrew Murphy, Derek Armstrong, and Jenna Lynne; and by his son, Patrick Douglas Devine, and his fiancée, Jenny Booth, Patrick’s children – Joseph Patrick, Katherine Ann, Christopher Douglas, Daniel Paul, Elizabeth Rose, and David James.
The family will gather for an interment at Noon on Wednesday, the 13th of November, at Glenwood Cemetery, 2525 Washington Avenue in Houston, where a uniformed steward from Geo. H. Lewis & Sons is to direct guests to the grave site.
A memorial service is to follow the interment at halfpast one o’clock in the afternoon in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.
Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the adjacent grand foyer.
In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed toward The David J. Devine ‘53 Baseball Athletic Scholarship Fund for baseball players at Rice University. Information on making a donation can be directed to Mike Melendez at mike. melendez@rice.edu.
Please visit Mr. Devine’s online tribute page at www. GeoHLewis.com where memories and words of comfort and condolence may be left electronically for his family.