The son of former NYC Police Commissioner William J Devine and Joan (Johnson) Devine, Tom grew up in Brooklyn then Staten Island. Tom was the eldest of six children and spent his early years with his four brothers sharing one of the two bedrooms in an apartment on 6th street in Park Slope which naturally made them a close family. Tom was an altar boy both figuratively and literally - with a trophy from St Savior’s church as “Altar boy of the Year “to prove it.  According to his siblings, Tom was the “smart one”, always polite, quick witted, and athletic starring on baseball, basketball, and track teams.  Later in life, Tom adopted being an ice hockey goalie for years before moving on to become an avid golfer.  As leader of the pack, Tom paved the way and he was a tough act to follow...

Tom pursued higher education with great enthusiasm.  Starting with Regis High School in 1970, onto Baruch College and St John’s for his BA and MBA, and adding his JD from Seton Hall Law in 2002, Tom’s love of learning never diminished.  Not to mention the many letters after his name for his numerous professional designations.  He achieved successful careers at Crum & Forster of Morristown, NJ, at MBIA in Armonk, NY, and briefly at the NC Department of Insurance in Raleigh before retiring 2017.  Holding positions of VP, Director and CFO, Tom was an essential part of any management team.  His diplomacy and tenacity for seeking the honest answers to questions or problems made him a man people sought out.  The quintessential good guy, Tom will be remembered by all who knew him for his intelligent wit and humor, caring manner, leadership and integrity. 

Beyond everything else in his life, the most fulfilling aspect was falling in love with Karen Burkley then sharing their lives as husband & wife for almost thirty years. Tom confided to family and close friends that becoming a husband and father brought him more joy than he ever imagined.  Domestic life with Tom was never dull, whether quizzing the family on vocabulary or history, or playing pranks on the kids, he was always the first to admit he was hardly the grown up of the house.  He knew how blessed he was to be a father to Stephen and Nicole. Witnessing them both graduating college and moving onto graduate studies was a source of tremendous pride.  

Tom is survived by his loving wife, Karen, their son Stephen and daughter Nicole.  He is also survived by his brothers, Bill and Jerry, and sister, Joni Hankers. Tom’s parents and two brothers, Stephen and Bob, passed away many years ago but were always fondly remembered - as he will be from this day forward.  

A Memorial Service will be held 11 am, Saturday, June 2, 2018 at Wilson Memorial Union Church, 7 Valley Rd, Watchung, NJ at 11am (refreshments and conversation afterwards). 

Another memorial service will be held in the Raleigh area, 11am, Saturday, June 9, 2018 at North Raleigh United Methodist Church, 8501 Honeycutt Rd, Raleigh, NC. 

 In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Regis High School, 55 E 84th St, NY, NY 10028.