George R. Devine ’49 died August 26, 2010.
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George R. Devine ’49
With much sadness, I learned of the death of George on August 26, 2010, in Longboat Key, FL. George and his wife, Eileen, had lived there since his retirement in 2001.
George’s early life was spent in New Bedford, MA until he joined the US Air Force as a radio operator and gunner with the 13th Army Air Corps. At the close of World War II, he entered Amherst in the summer of 1946. His early studies were directed toward a pre-medical education, but later, he changed course for dentistry and oral surgery and pursued advance studies at Harvard and the Univ. of Pennsylvania. In 1954, he opened private practice in South Dartmouth, MA. During his professional career, he served on the medical/dental staff of St. Luke’s Hospital in South Dartmouth and on the teaching faculty of the dental school of Tufts Univ.
In every community where he lived, George was unsparing in his time and in his service for charitable and civic needs. He was on the Dartmouth School Board for 12 years with time as chairman. He was often recognized for his community work. Among his awards was the Paul Harris Fellowship Award by the National Rotary Clubs of America.
His ever present sense of humor was a hallmark of his life. His was a special talent, never cutting or degrading at others expense. I shall never forget what pleasures his company meant.
I first knew George when we joined Phi Gamma Delta in 1946. We had rooms across the hall on the third floor of the fraternity house and had such fun planning agendas for weekends usually involving Smith or Mt. Holyoke. After graduation in 1949, we kept in touch and saw each other every two to three years. George and his gracious wife, Eileen, enjoyed international travel. Though we never traveled together, often we recalled pleasant experiences and outstanding cuisine at the same places. I value my thoughts that personal honor, humor and compassion are special qualities of Amherst graduates. George had all these attributes of character in abundance.
I am sure that our class extends all feelings of sympathy to Eileen and to his children, Dana and Geoffrey. For those who knew George, he left indelible memories of his friendship, a fine man indeed.
—George C. Pendleton, Jr. ’49