Longtime English Teacher & Ridgefield Resident, John E. Devine has Died

John E. Devine

John E. Devine of Ridgefield, beloved teacher, husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully on December 15, 2016 at NY Presbyterian hospital, with his wife, Thea, of 50 years by his side.

John was a well respected high school English teacher who loved Shakespeare, and taught in New York City high schools for 31 years, at Charles Evans Hughes in Manhattan, Tilden in Brooklyn, and Evander Childs in the Bronx. After retiring from the N.Y.C. school system, he spent the next 17 years teaching at Keio Academy of New York, a private high school in Purchase N.Y., retiring a second time only recently after forty-eight years in the classroom altogether.

John was a devoted family man, an avid N.Y. Rangers fan and dog lover; he loved to cook, do crossword puzzles, read, run, travel, write poetry, go antiquing, build bookcases, and spend time at the family cottage in Maine.

He was born February 14, 1942, in Malverne NY, the son of John E. Devine Sr., an advertising executive and Angela Torraco, a homemaker. He is survived by his wife, romance novelist Thea Devine, his two sons Michael and Thomas, a grandson Emmanuel, his brother Dalies and his wife Susanne, three nieces, Katie, Amy, and Jill, and several great nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be Wednesday, December 21, 2016 from 5 PM to 7 PM at Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the ROAR Donofrio Family Animal Shelter, 45 South Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877.