John Richmond Devine

He leaves to mourn his loving wife Sheila; children Fran, Ken (Barb), Beth (Roger), and Mairi; grandchildren Kyle, Kamron, Falyn, Jenna, Alanna, Lauren, Heather, Anders, and Kristin; great-grandchildren Joshua and Isabella; brother Pat; brother-in-law Jim; and many nieces and nephews in Scotland, England, France, and Greece.

He is predeceased by his children Iain and Elaine; grandchild Kraig; mother Hylda; father John; brother Tom; and sisters Hilda and Molly.

John attended St. Patrick School in Kilsyth, where he made top pupil (Dux) in 1941. He furthered his education at Jordanhill University in Glasgow, earning a degree in Physical Education. He later completed a Masters degree in Education at the University of Manitoba. Shortly after WWII, he served in the RAF. In 1953, he met and married his life partner, Sheila Dobie. Along with their three young children, they emigrated to Canada in 1956 to start a new life.

Once in Canada, he worked as a Physical Education teacher at Grant Park High School for most of his career, and finished his professional life in university administration. John played soccer at a semi-professional level with the Winnipeg Thistle team, and coached soccer at University of Winnipeg.

John is nominated for The Most Patient Father award in recognition of frequent summer vacations spent camping and travelling across Canada and the USA in the family station wagon with Sheila, their six children, two cats, and a dog. He enjoyed many hobbies, including hardscaping the yard on Mercury Bay, cross-country skiing, dog-sledding his Siberian huskies, reading, solving crossword puzzles, and entertaining friends.

We will remember him as a loving father and grandfather. He was a man of few words, but his words carried great weight. His perspective on life thereafter is best reflected in an adaptation of one of his favourite poets, Angelo Patri.

“In one sense, there is no death. The life of a soul on earth lasts beyond their departure. We will always feel that our loved ones' lives touch others, their voices speak out to us, their spirit looks out from others' eyes, talking to us in the familiar things that they touched, worked with, and loved.”

He will live on in the lives of his Clan and Kin, both here and in Heaven, guiding us to be better people.

Cremation has taken place and a Come and Go Celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2020 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, with tributes at 3:00 pm, at Thomson “In the Park Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Boulevard.

We would like to thank Dr. Ted St. Godard and the compassionate team in the St. Boniface Palliative Care Unit.

Flowers are gratefully declined. Dad would have wished that any donations go to the Winnipeg Humane Society or to Palliative Care, St. Boniface Hospital in John's memory.