Patricia Devine's Obituary
Patricia Ripley Devine died Saturday, July 29, after a long struggle with Alzheimer''s disease. She was a wonderful wife, mother, and scientist. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her husband of 50 years, Donald W. Devine, as well as five children, Anne Devine, of Sterling Virginia, Mary Whitehorne and husband Les, of Virginia Beach, Va. Donald W. Devine Jr. and wife Nancy of Waterford, VA, Walter R. Devine and wife Claire, of Berryville, Va., Oliver P. D. Devine, of Washington, D.C., eight grandchildren, Austin Timberlake, Philip Timberlake, and Will Timberlake, Jack Devine, Ripley-Reece Devine, Donald W. Devine III, Augustine A. Devine, and John S. Devine, and four step-grandchildren, Craig, Austin and Ashby Whitehorne and Lotus Devine. She was predeceased by her parents, Francis Droit Ripley and Verna Holt Ripley, of Radford, Va.
Born Dec. 27,1931 in Keystone, West Virginia, Patricia attended Radford High School in Radford, Virginia where she graduated first in her class at the age of the age of 16 and was crowned Homecoming Queen. She then attended Nazareth College and graduated early from Virginia Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952 and a Masters in Ultra-Sonics and Statistics in 1954. She was a Westinghouse Scholar and a member of Sigma Xi, a scientific society. In college she met Maj. General John M. Devine, commandant of the Corps of Cadets of VPI, who introduced her to his son Don. Married in 1955 they moved to Charlottesville, Va. pending her husband''s completion of law school. The couple then moved to Leesburg, VA. She worked for DuPont, and the Army Corps of Engineers at Mount Weather studying theoretical damage assessments of nuclear attack, and later several branches of the federal government including the Bureau of Emergency Preparedness, the U.S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Mines. As a Federal Forecaster she prepared econometric models of the national economy predicting the outcome with respect to the total economy in the changes of its individual elements. She also was active in a number of local clubs, including the 24 Club and the Leesburg Garden Club where she was President. She served on the Boards of the Loudoun County Architectural Review, The Friends of the Thomas Balch Library, The Loudoun Country Day School, and the Ladies Board of Loudoun Memorial Hospital. She was a Eucharistic Minister for the Catholic Church.
She was a generous and faithful friend who adored the children in her life and was never happier than when she was tending her beautiful garden. She valued family and church above all. On the day she died, her extended family was gathered on an annual beach trip, a tradition which she started in 1968.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 2 at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, 101 Oakcrest Manor Drive, Leesburg, VA.
The family will receive friends at Loudoun Funeral Chapel, 158 Catoctin Circle, Leesburg, on Tuesday, August 1, from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m.
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