John W. Deveney

John W. Deveney, 83, of Wakefield, MA and Kennebunk, ME, passed away on April 24th after a brief illness, leaving his wife of 56 years Dorothy-Ann Giardino Deveney. 

He was predeceased by his loving parents, Nona and John Deveney and his sister Nona Patricia and her husband Edward Stappen. He was the loving uncle of Nona Therese Stappen-Brown and husband Tom of North Reading, Christine MacPhail and husband Russ of Dedham, Donald J. Giardino of Gilbertville, and the brother-in-law Don Giardino and wife Frances of Lyman, ME. He leaves his grand-nephews Michael, Matthew, and Benjamin MacPhail and D.J. and Nicholas Giardino; his grand-nieces Colleen Brown of Reading, Nona Lorraine Rougier and husband Kenneth of Danvers and great-nieces Molly and Hannah Rougier

John retired after 40 years as a Physics teacher, teaching in Brockton, Woburn, Weston and Malden High Schools. He graduated from Boston State College in 1961 and continued his graduate work in Astro Nuclear Physics at MIT, BU, Rensselaer and Yale and receive awards as Outstanding Physics Teacher in the state. He was a candidate for NASA’s Astronaut in Space program as well as a veteran, receiving an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, and participated in Wakefield’s Citizen Police Academy. John loved teaching and eating out, especially at Wakefield’s North Ave. Diner and Malden’s 621. 

Visitation for relatives and friends will be held at the McDonald Funeral Home, 19 Yale Ave., Wakefield on Thursday April 27 from 4-8 p.m. His Funeral Mass will be held on Friday April 27 at St. Joseph Church, 173 Albion St., Wakefield at 11:00 a.m. Interment, St. Patrick Cemetery, Stoneham.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude’s Hospital for Children.