William Devine
William H. "Bill" Devine, 91, died March 9, 2009 at Mercy Hospital, Springfield, MA. A lifelong resident of Enfield, CT, he was born August 27, 1917, in Bridgeport, CT, son of the late William H. and Leona (Leander) Devine. Bill graduated from Enfield High School, Class of 1935. He joined the Army Air Corps during WWII, graduating from Navigator School in 1943. Bill served as a navigator with the 490th Bomb Squadron "Bridge Busters" in a B-25 bomber, attaining the rank of Captain. He completed 75 missions in Burma and India and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon, and the WWII Victory Medal. After completing duties with the Air Corps, Bill worked for Braniff Airlines in Houston, TX, Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Co. in Enfield and the State of CT in the Division of Unemployment Compensation, retiring in 1982 after 25 years of service. After retirement, Bill pursued his life-long interest in stamp and coin collecting and enjoyed traveling, oil painting and bus trips to Mohegan Sun Casino with his wife. He was an active member of the CT Historical Society, the CT State Employee Assoc., the University of the Third Age and a lifetime member of Tanguay Magill Post 80 American Legion. He was a communicant of St. Patrick Church in Enfield. Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Lena (DiSciacca) Devine, his loving daughter and son-in-law, Carol Ann and James Conlon of Wilbraham, MA, his brother Francis Devine, his sisters-in-law, Rosalie DiSciacca and Irene DiSciacca, all of Enfield, and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank all of Bill's friends and neighbors for their unending generosity and his wonderful extended family at Blair Manor for their kind and compassionate care and the dignity they've always shown him. We will forever be grateful to all of them. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2009 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at Browne Memorial Funeral Chapels, 43 Shaker Rd., Enfield concluding with a funeral home service at 3:00 pm. Burial, with military honors, will be held at a later date in St. Patrick King St. Cemetery, Enfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Bill's name may be made to "Companions on the Journey" c/o Sister Caritas Cancer Center, 271 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104. They were truly Bill's angels on the last day of his life.Obituary
William H. "Bill" Devine, 91, died March 9, 2009 at Mercy Hospital, Springfield, MA. A lifelong resident of Enfield, CT, he was born August 27, 1917, in Bridgeport, CT, son of the late William H. and Leona (Leander) Devine. Bill graduated from Enfield High School, Class of 1935. He joined the Army Air Corps during WWII, graduating from Navigator School in 1943. Bill served as a navigator with the 490th Bomb Squadron "Bridge Busters" in a B-25 bomber, attaining the rank of Captain. He completed 75 missions in Burma and India and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon, and the WWII Victory Medal. After completing duties with the Air Corps, Bill worked for Braniff Airlines in Houston, TX, Bigelow-Sanford Carpet Co. in Enfield and the State of CT in the Division of Unemployment Compensation, retiring in 1982 after 25 years of service. After retirement, Bill pursued his life-long interest in stamp and coin collecting and enjoyed traveling, oil painting and bus trips to Mohegan Sun Casino with his wife. He was an active member of the CT Historical Society, the CT State Employee Assoc., the University of the Third Age and a lifetime member of Tanguay Magill Post 80 American Legion. He was a communicant of St. Patrick Church in Enfield. Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Lena (DiSciacca) Devine, his loving daughter and son-in-law, Carol Ann and James Conlon of Wilbraham, MA, his brother Francis Devine, his sisters-in-law, Rosalie DiSciacca and Irene DiSciacca, all of Enfield, and many nieces and nephews. The family wishes to thank all of Bill's friends and neighbors for their unending generosity and his wonderful extended family at Blair Manor for their kind and compassionate care and the dignity they've always shown him. We will forever be grateful to all of them. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 15, 2009 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at Browne Memorial Funeral Chapels, 43 Shaker Rd., Enfield concluding with a funeral home service at 3:00 pm. Burial, with military honors, will be held at a later date in St. Patrick King St. Cemetery, Enfield. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Bill's name may be made to "Companions on the Journey" c/o Sister Caritas Cancer Center, 271 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104. They were truly Bill's angels on the last day of his life.