Joseph A Devine

Dr. Joseph Anthony Devine, lifelong resident of Cheyenne, died August 11, peacefully in his residence at Pointe Frontier.

Devine served Cheyenne and his professional community throughout his life. He took over his father’s dental practice in Cheyenne in 1952 and ran the practice until his retirement at 81 in 2008. He was active in local politics through most of his life focusing on projects that contributed to the quality of life in the community. He served on the Laramie County School Board 1971-1975. These years included tumultuous times in the system including racial unrest, overcrowding in aging, unsafe buildings and eventually the building of the new Central High School and McCormick Junior High. Devine played an important role in the completion of Stage II of the Little Snake River water project for Cheyenne in the 1980s. He helped lead a drive to ban smoking in Cheyenne bars and restaurants in 2006.
Devine also served the dental profession holding leadership positions for many years in the Wyoming Dental Association and the American Dental Association. He eventually rose to the Presidency of the American Dental Association in 1987. Devine did a great deal of free or deeply discounted dental work, often serving the nuns and priests of Cheyenne as well as many disadvantaged patients. For Devine’s professional excellence and longtime service, he was recognized as a distinguished alumni by both the University of Wyoming and the Creighton Dental School.
Devine loved sports and the outdoors. He attended Wyoming football games until well into his 80s. He purchased Colorado Rockies season tickets the first day they were made available and held the tickets into his 90s. After retirement, his yearly vacation became a full month of Rockies Spring Training in Arizona. Devine was an avid snowmobiler spending many weekends riding all over the Snowy Range as well as many yearly trips to Yellowstone for a week of riding. Devine also enjoyed four-wheel drive adventures in the summer months, particularly with his beloved 1948 Willys Jeep.
Dr. Devine was born March 22, 1927, in Cheyenne Wyoming to Mae Campbell Devine and John Aloysius Devine. He graduated from Cheyenne High School and after a brief stint in the military attended the University of Wyoming before entering the Creighton Dental School. He married Mary Margaret Lynch on Dec 27, 1952. She preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by his siblings, John Devine, James Devine, Frank J. “Bounce” Devine, Mary Elizabeth Betty” Devinee Ankney, and Martha Jane Devine as well as his daughter Martha Ann Devine.
He is survived by five sons, Patrick J. Devine (wife Carol), Joseph A.M. Devine (wife Diana), Paul C. Devine, J. Vincent Devine (wife Kim) and T. Luke Devine. Devine is also survived by seven grandchildren, Sean Devine (wife Kayla), Joshua Brasel, Daniel Devine, Samuel Devine, Sarah Devine, Olivia Mae Devine and Liam Devine as well as two great grandchildren Brooklyn Devine and Maxwell Devine.
Devine was a lifelong Catholic. There will be a Catholic rosary on Monday August 19 at 7 PM at Weiderspahn-Radomsky Chapel. A Catholic Funeral will be held Tuesday, August 20, at 10:00 a.m., which be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church. After a brief service at the burial site, a reception will follow at Little America starting at noon.
Donations in Dr. Devine's memory can be made to:

Potter's Dream
c/o Dianne Simms
PO. Box 21281
Cheyenne, WY 82003