A Family Funeral Home
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Clement Joseph Devine Jr.

April 27, 1932 - May 5, 2022
Racine, WI

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Visitation

Friday, July 1, 2022
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM CDT
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
2201 Northwestern Avenue
Racine, WI 53404

Memorial Mass

Friday, July 1, 2022
1:00 PM CDT
Sacred Heart Catholic Church
2201 Northwestern Avenue
Racine, WI 53404

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
2201 Northwestern Avenue
Racine, WI 53404

St. Vincent DePaul Society
926 LaSalle Street
Racine, WI 53404
Web Site

Life Story / Obituary


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Clement “Clem” Joseph Devine was called into the Lord’s eternal care on Thursday, May 5. He defied the medical odds for years, fighting off heart ailments, COPD and brain surgery a year earlier. He maintained his kind humor and love and enjoyment of his family until his peaceful passing at the home of his son Tom and daughter-in-law Sofia in Topsfield, Massachusetts. He was surrounded by the love of his family and the adoration of Dottie, the family golden retriever.

Clem celebrated his 90th birthday only a week earlier and was filled with joy by the visits from family traveling from Wisconsin to surprise him.

Clem lived most of his 90 years in Racine, Wisconsin, where he met his beloved wife, Mary Ellen Johnson, in the northside neighborhood in which they grew up. He attended St. John’s elementary school and St. Catherine’s High School, and was a faithful and active 73-year member of Sacred Heart Parish, where Mary Ellen and all four of their children attended grade school.

Clem was a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he married Mary Ellen in 1960 in the University’s log chapel. His college years were formative and he carried his love for Notre Dame with him throughout his life. He was a Fighting Irish fan through-and-through and traveled back to South Bend many times over the years for football games and for a prayer at the Grotto.

Clem proudly served in the US Army as the company clerk of “Big Red One” at Fort Riley, Kansas 1955-1957.

He spent 34 years working at J.I. Case company, serving as Director of Benefits and enjoying the friendship of colleagues long after retirement in 1991.

A life-long sports enthusiast, Clem played baseball on local teams from the 1940s-60s, eventually giving way to softball, until hanging up his cleats in the early 1970s. Clem routinely amazed family members with his detailed recall of games from 60+ years earlier - reciting the final scores, starting pitchers and how runs were scored. A life-long Chicago White Sox devotee, he also embraced the arrival of the Braves to Milwaukee in the early 50s, following the Brewers with equal enthusiasm. The Cubs, Green Bay Packers, Badgers, Marquette Warriors also enjoyed his favor, and later in life the sporting events of his children, grandchildren, grandnieces and nephews provided great joy.

Clem had a passion for Civil War history and was a model train enthusiast, attending local swap meets and forming friendships with fellow train collectors across the country. Every family vacation included sidebar visits to train depots and rail yards.

Clem was preceded in death by his eldest son, Patrick (Dawn) Devine in 2014.

He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Mary Ellen; his children Carrie Devine of Concord MA; Eileen Devine of Racine WI, Tom (Sofia) Devine of Topsfield MA; daughter-in-law Dawn Devine; his grandchildren Taylor and Conor Devine, Elena Grimslid and Ciara and Deaclan Devine; his brother David Devine; sisters-in-law Sharon Devine and Suzanne Nelson; brother-in-law William Nelsen; his nephews/nieces Daniel (Renee) Devine, Michael (Allie) Devine and Bradley (Alex) Nelsen and grand-nephews/nieces Saoirse and Liam Devine, Patrick and Jack Devine and Isabelle and Ethan Nelsen, as well as many loving cousins.

Clem lived a kind and loving life, embracing his roles of husband, father and grandfather above all else. He will be dearly missed by all.

A visitation will be held on Friday July 1st beginning at 12:00pm to be followed by a Mass at 1:00pm at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2201 Northwestern Ave.

Memorial donations in Clem's name can be made to either Sacred Heart Church, or the St. Vincent DePaul Society.

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