February 22, 1953 - June 7, 2021
https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/21395257/James-Jimmy-Francis-Devine
Obituary
Beloved Rhode Island musician, preservation carpenter, and inspiration to countless fiddle students, was lost to us on June 7th of this year. Born in Mt. Vernon, New York and raised in Yonkers, New York, he was the son of the late Joseph and Bridget (Drumm) Devine. The devoted husband of Sorrel Devine, he was a loving father and stepfather to Hannah Devine, Eamonn Gerety and Fiona Gerety. He is survived by his sisters Maureen Devine (husband Dennis Bottone) and Theresa Devine. He is also survived by his nephews Joseph Devine Bottone and Paul Devine Bottone and his niece Lucy Devine.
If you’ve accessed this web page through the Providence Journal obituaries, you already know the facts above. But I would like you to know the Jimmy that I, his partner for 35 years, knew intimately and loved unconditionally. Jimmy had so many friends; his family and I want to honor him on this page.
Jimmy was the most honest (sometimes to a fault), authentic person that I have ever known. He knew himself well, including his foibles, and had a keen sense of what was most important in life. He always attempted to live life to the fullest, while doing no harm. He had an intense curiosity and a passion for learning new things, which meant he was never bored and made him very attractive to me and to others.
His love for music, especially Irish traditional music, is well known. He reveled in researching old tunes, as well as new compositions, learning them and then sharing them with his daughter, Hannah, and other musicians. He was less into “performing” than simply “playing well with others” (as a t-shirt I once gave him proclaimed) and he was particularly excited when he had a new, enthusiastic student. But his taste in music ran the gamut from folk to jazz to rock and roll and, while he passed on his mastery of traditional music to Hannah, he was equally proud of her forays into various other genres including the avant-garde.
Jimmy was one of those fortunate people whose work was also their passion. He came by his woodworking skills naturally, as his father, who he lost at a young age, was also a carpenter (and a fiddler!). His criteria for taking on a project was rarely related to money. Instead, his first consideration would be, “Is this an exciting opportunity to create something artful?” He was respected by his clients for his dedication to quality and for doing things the right way. He was a trustworthy coworker, who could also make the crew laugh.
Jimmy will always be remembered for his humor, his kindness, his modesty, the warmth he felt for his friends, and the deep comradeship he shared with his fellow lovers and preservers of Irish traditional music. Jimmy loved his family, both here and in Ireland, with all his heart. He was a provider and a protector, as well as a teacher. He passed on the most important life lessons to his daughter, along with many beautiful creations that she will cherish always.
Though his influence will be heard in Irish music going forward, in those strains coming from New England, there will surely be a “Jimmy-shaped space” felt by those who knew and loved him.
There will be a memorial gathering to celebrate his life on Sunday, June 20th from 2-6 pm at the Blackstone River Theatre. Here is a link to their web site: https://www.riverfolk.org/ where you can find directions and information about off street parking.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to: Hope Hospice & Palliative Care Rhode Island, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904 or online at hopehealthri.org.
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