Mary Virginia Devine, 75, of Racine, passed away on Sunday, September 13, 2020 at The Bay at Water’s Edge Nursing Home and Rehab Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Mary was born on April 20, 1945 in Racine, Wisconsin. Born the daughter of Joseph T. Devine and Virginia A. Musil. Mary enjoyed school and valued getting an education. She graduated from Dominican College with a bachelors degree, UW Madison with a masters degree, and Wayne State where she received her PhD. She worked as a writer of History and Culture at Liewelyn Publishers for many years. Mary was very creative; she enjoyed writing, researching art and history, and jewelry appraising. Mary will be deeply missed by her nephew Joseph W. Devine, niece Jamie Gibby, and sister-in-law Sharon Devine. She is survived by other relatives and many friends. Mary is preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Virginia, and brother Patrick. At this time, no services have been planned.
MARY VIRGINIA DEVINE
If ever, there was an angel here on earth, it was Miss Mary!!! Our time together, over past, many years, has been precious! A donation in your name to Wisconsin Humane Society is being made by us. Until we meet again! We loved you and we know you are with our Lord and Savior!!!
Mary Virginia was my cousin. She was gifted. She was brilliant. My son, Tom, was researching the genealogy of the Devine family. I joined him in raising a question with Mary. In response she provided information equal to a three credit course and did so in about twenty minutes. We were overwhelmed. Her final bed-ridden years could not have been fun. She is now free from a body which didn’t work. I am sure God welcomed her.
Mary and I were related by marriage in a way. Her great aunt Florence was married to my great uncle Aubrey (Devere) Harnett. Mary and I never met, but our early lives were parallel in many ways: she graduated from Dominican College the spring before I started. Mary and I were the only two students to take 21 credits in a single semester, and after I did that, the College started charging for credits over 18. I majored in English and foreign languages. and went on to get a MA in comparative literature (English, French, Spanish and German). I even own a copy of Mary’s book. I’m so sorry to learn that she was bed-ridden in her final years.