Paul Thomas Devine

1948 - 2021

Paul Thomas Devine, age 72 years, of Wilmington, DE, passed away on Monday, January 18, 2021 with his wife by his side. Mr. Devine was born on February 26, 1948 in Gloucester, NJ, and was the second son of Richard and Grace Devine.

Mr. Devine was a graduate of Gloucester High School, and earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from Glassboro State College in technology education. He accepted a teaching position with the Christina School District in Newark, DE where he remained 29 years teaching at both Central Middle School and at Glasgow High School. Mr. Devine was a highly successful teacher and was named Technology Teacher of the Year for the State of Delaware. He was also the advisor of the Technology Student Association, and his students won state and national awards. He was an innovative educator who piloted new courses, and developed award-winning integrated curriculum through a grant from the National Science Foundation, the first one ever awarded to a secondary school. He applied for and received a mesocosm of the Chesapeake Bay Estuary from the Smithsonian Institute, and he raised the funds to construct a greenhouse for it at Glasgow High School. The curricular integration of science, mathematics and technology was highly sought after, and Mr. Devine and his colleagues traveled around the country to demonstrate and teach it to other school systems. In 2000, Mr. Devine joined the Cecil County Public Schools as the Instructional Coordinator of Career and Technology, and oversaw all programs of study including that of the School of Technology. He remained an ardent advocate of technology education throughout his lifetime. In addition to public education, Mr. Devine was a highly successful real estate agent in the Wilmington area, and was named to the Million Dollar Round Table. He bought and renovated properties including his own homes, owned and operated his own construction company, and managed his own apartment buildings. In later years, he had a love of gardening and horticulture, and had a garden on the C&D Canal of which he was justly proud.

In 1980, he married D'Ette Williams of Elkton, MD. They made their home in Wilmington, DE, and later on South Shore Road in Elkton, MD. Besides his profession and his family, Mr. Devine enjoyed woodworking, gardening, movies, the opera, the theatre, his classic cars, and traveling. With his wife, he traveled to Europe, particularly France, the Caribbean, Canada, Hilton Head Island, and Mexico where he enjoyed deep sea fishing and catching a 7-foot marlin.

Mr. Devine will be dearly missed by his beloved wife of almost 41 years, D'Ette Williams Devine; his children from his first wife, Francine Duncan, and their families, Paul Devine and his wife, Susan, of San Diego, CA, and Suzanne Devine Ryan and her husband, Jason, of Charlotte, NC, and their brother, Sam Duncan also of Charlotte. He is survived by 3 grandchildren whom he adored, Miles Devine, Annie Devine, and Jack Ryan. He is also survived by his brothers, Richard (Barbara), William (Hazel), Gary (Roseanne), David, and Joseph Devine; and his sisters, Lois Heister (Steve), and Elizabeth Devine. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Barry and Mary Ann Williams, DeVon and Kit Daniels, David and Tracey Williams, Dea Williams, Jane Williams, Tom and Jackie Williams, and Mary Devine. Mr. Devine leaves 41 nieces and nephews to honor his memory including Christopher, Jordan, Courtney, Katie, Ben, Evan, Gentry, Casey, David, Paige, Kirby, Jessica, Jonathan, Matthew, MacKenzie, Abigayle, Jacklyn, Jack, Alexandra, Loch, Jeb, Chris, Nick, Stacey, Lesley, Doug, Steve, Jeanette, Dezirae, Kimmi, Michael, Joseph, Brian, Karen, Andy, Katie, Cayla, Kayla, Deanna, Grace and Jill; and a host of great nieces and great nephews and beloved cousins. He will also be greatly missed by his many friends including lifelong friends Drs. Greta and Larry Wallis, Joe and Linda Gartland, and Nelly Choury.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Grace Devine; his parents-in-law, David and Peggy Williams; his nieces, Meggi Daniels and Taylor Welch; and nephew, David Devine.

The Devine family would like to express their deepest gratitude to the caring staff of the Elkton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Elkton Presbyterian Church, and Hicks Home for Funerals, and to their many friends and family for their acts of kindness, love, and concern over the years and for their support throughout this difficult time.

There will be a private memorial service for family at the Elkton Presbyterian Church. Interment will also be private.

Contributions may be made to the Cecil County School of Technology, Cecil County Public Schools, Elkton, MD, in care of Hicks Home for Funerals, 103 W. Stockton Street, Elkton, MD 21921.

hickshomeforfunerals.com