Frank S. DeVine was born May 24, 1919 in Terry, Montana. He died Thursday, March 22, 2007 in the loving presence of his family. Frank’s family was German-Irish, and he was the youngest of ten children born to Frank Sr. and Anna Roethler DeVine. He knew both love and hardship, growing up on a dry-land farm in Eastern Montana, but surrounded by a large, loving, and supportive family.

He graduated as class Valedictorian from Terry High School in 1936, won a scholarship to Carroll College in Helena, but because it was during the Great Depression, he had to forego college for work. He worked for years in the hot summers and cold winters for the Montana Highway Department, primarily as a surveyor.

At the onset of World War II, Frank enlisted in the United States Army, and served in Iceland and then the European Theater, until his honorable discharge in October of 1945. He was a sergeant in the 54th Signal Battalion, First Allied Airborne Army. He saw action in the Battle of the Bulge, the Ardennes, and was part of the liberation of the German concentration camp at Wobbelin. His unit always went ahead of the front line, establishing radio and telephone communication lines. Frank was enrolled as a veteran in the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC.

After the War, Frank returned to his home town and married Opal Bacon on May 30, 1946. They remained in Terry, where their children Teresa and Kenny were born. In 1952, they headed west to Vancouver, Washington, where they briefly owned and operated the Sunnyside Motel. Frank and Opal moved in 1954 to Richland, Washington, where they found good jobs, lifetime friends, and a wonderful place to raise their children and make their home. After they both retired, they enjoyed driving around the United States, seeing the many amazing parts of our country, and occasionally bringing home small amounts of cash from Reno and Las Vegas.

Frank was a loving and faithful husband, father, grandfather and friend. He always had a smile and a joke for everyone, and he was teasing with the nurses at Kadlec even this past week. He enjoyed anything and everything his kids and grandkids did, and spent many happy hours leaning on the fence at the Richland American Little League field with John Conley, CJ Mitchell, Lyle Mudge, and other proud fathers. He and Opal were lucky to be involved in the day-to-day lives of their grandchildren, especially the weddings of Jason and Jocelyn, and the school and sporting events of Jalen, Jared, and Danae. He took Jocelyn golfing many times, and taught her that nice fade, although the four-putt she developed on her own. From his days with Eddie Feigner in the 70’s he was able to teach Danae to throw the blindfolded, behind-the-back pitch from second base. Grandpa Frank was very proud of Jalen’s interest in World War II and the old black and white war movies, so he could not have been happier when he heard Jalen shout from his bike at five years old, “Let’s get the hell outta here!” Jared and he played catch in the living room for years, with only minimal damage to lamps and TV screens. Finally, he was so proud when Jason published his first book, kept a copy right by his chair, but just couldn’t get past page 2! Grandpa Frank loved the many pickups he owned over the years, and took his grandkids to the dump and around town, teaching them his favorite sing-alongs, “Alfalfa Hay” and “Ragtime Cowboy Joe.”

A self-taught engineer, Frank was employed at first by Blaw-Knox in Richland. One of his first jobs was lead of a survey crew on the construction of the PUREX building. He then worked for 33 years for J.A. Jones Construction Company, retiring in 1987 as Manager of Contract Administration. He was admired and respected by everyone with whom he worked, and acknowledged as an honest, fair, and kind colleague, whose Depression-era work ethic and knowledge of construction and contracts served him well.

Frank was a member of Christ the King Church, where he served on the first Parish Council. Because of his knowledge of the local construction industry, he worked with Father Murtagh on the building of the new Christ the King Church. For years, he was the chief bouncer at the back door of the Sausage Fest Beer Garden. He volunteered many years with Richland youth baseball, serving as President of American Little League, Pony League, Colt League and Legion. Frank was one of the early presidents of the Hanford Falcon Booster Club, taught his kids and grandkids to be lifetime NY Yankee fans, and remained a proud Cougar Dad.

Remaining here to honor Frank’s memory are Opal, his loving wife of nearly 61 years; daughter Teresa Knirck; son Denny DeVine and Jennie; much loved grandchildren Jason Knirck and Mari; Jocelyn Knirck Roe and Nathan and Lila; and Danae, Jalen, and Jared DeVine. Frank will also be missed by special nephews Tom DeVine, Karl Kinkade, Jack Cloud and niece Doris Holbrook. He was preceded in death by his beloved son Kenny and dear son-in-law Bill, and cherished infant daughter Tana Marie. Parents Frank and Anna, and sisters Frances, Celia, Jessie, Rita, Alice, Katherine and Alice and brothers Paul and Bill also passed before him.

Recitation of the Holy Rosary is Sunday, March 25 at 8:00 pm at Christ the King Church in Richland. Mass of Christian Burial is Monday, March 26 at 11:00 am at Christ the King.

Our thanks go to Dr. Merkley, Dr. Arif, Dr.Yang, and the wonderful nursing staff at Kadlec. In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation in Frank’s name to the Greater Richland Little League, PO Box 4174, Richland, WA 99352; or the Hanford Falcon Boosters, 450 Hanford Street, Richland, WA, 99354.