John J. Devine Jr.

EAST GREENBUSH John J. Devine Jr., 81, died Thursday, August 26, 2004 at St. Peter's Hospital. Born in Albany, he was the son of the late John J. Devine Sr. and Mary Lasher Devine. He was predeceased by his loving wife and dear friend Veronica Reith Devine. He graduated from Christian Brothers Academy and attended Russell Sage College. Mr. Devine retired as deputy director with the N.Y. State Division of Veterans' Affairs in 1986 after 44 years of state service. He was a member of the Albany Elks Lodge No. 49 and served on the board of trustees from 1979 until 1996. He served as chairman of the board from 1987 until 1996. Mr. Devine was town chairman of the East Greenbush Democratic Committee from 1975 until 1984. He served on the Rensselaer County Democratic Executive Committee for nine of those years. He was high school basketball coach at St. Ann's Albany from 1946-1951. Mr. Devine was active in many community programs in East Greenbush, Little League and Babe Ruth baseball. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus #173 Albany, the North Albany American Legion Post, the North Albany Limericks and the Sheehy-Palmer VFW Post in Albany. He was a first lieutenant with the Army Air Force as a bombardier during World War II with the 5th Air Force in the South Pacific where he completed 59 combat missions. Mr. Devine was a communicant of St. John/St. Ann in the South End of Albany. Survivors include three sons, John and his wife Barbara of Troy, James and his wife Debra of East Greenbush and Paul and his wife Lorie of Coxsackie; three daughters, Gail Fromaget and her husband Robert of Monroe, N.Y., Donna Pulver and her husband William of East Greenbush and Denice Beza and her husband Richard of East Greenbush; 12 grandchildren, Kimberly Young, Danielle Kilkelly, Heather Cammann, Michele Boudway, Melissa Stefanko, Kristin Pulver, Jennifer Beza, Christopher Beza, John M. Devine II, Gregory Devine, Christine Devine and James Devine; nine great-grandchildren, Andrea and Veronica Young, Sean, Tyler and Brooke Cammann, Patrick, Abigail and Emma Kilkelly and Owen J. Stefanko. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. John/St. Ann Church in the South End, Fourth Ave. and Franklin Street. Relatives and friends are invited and may call at the church on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. Interment will follow the Mass at Calvary Cemetery, Glenmont. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to St. John/St. Ann in the South End, Church Building Renovations Fund, 157 Franklin Street, Albany, New York 12202 would be appreciated.