John Devitt
September 27, 1925 ~ December 7, 2021
John Lawrence Devitt passed away Tuesday, December 7, 2021, at his home in Denver, Colorado. John was born in Denver on September 27, 1925, to Dr. Oliver Devitt and Ellen McPherson Devitt.
John lived in Denver all his life, deeply devoted to his Rocky Mountains. John got his B.S. and his M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
The Navy was his military service of choice just after WWII. He attended Midshipman’s Training at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY.
John was an Eagle Scout where he developed his love for mountain climbing. He was an active member of the Colorado Mountain Club, including serving as president, and was a climbing instructor for many avid climbers in the Colorado mountains. He climbed all of the 14ers and climbed with the Adaman club, climbing Pikes Peak on New Years Eve.
Music was a big part of his life. He was an active player in the local jazz scene as a saxophonist.
His career was spent as a battery expert. While working at the Gates Rubber Company, he invented and developed the sealed lead acid battery with Dr. Don McClelland and in 1999 received the international prestigious Gaston Planté award for his invention and work in the field of batteries. He was a consulting engineer on batteries for 45 years.
John married Mary Ann Butler in 1949. They were divorced in 1983. He spent 28 years with his dear friend and travel companion, Jeane Sexson.
John is survived by his three children, Jane Devitt Gnojek (Vince), David Lawrence Devitt (Vickie), and Ellen Elizabeth Devitt Russell (Jerome), 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Martha Devitt Logsdon.
Donations can be made in his name to the Colorado Mountain Club, 710 10th St., Suite 200, Golden, Colorado, 80401.
Here are a couple of portraits. Sailor John and Lieutenant JGF John Devitt
He was a zanier character than one gave him credit for at first. He always had a silly joke, loved a good Peanuts cartoon and delighted in teaching us seemingly random and useless facts. Like how to pronounce sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, and going out of his way to gross us out by telling us that it was in the ice cream we were eating. He could also make a pretty killer chocolate soda. He was a man of his time in showing (or not) affection and empathy, and our politics never aligned, but he was a pretty good grandfather overall. Was glad that he was able to be with us for Thanksgiving and that he stole my root beer. He lived a full and wonderful life on his own terms, and who can ask for more than that?
Hey Dad, we skiied, we climbed 14ers, we fooled with candles, we did Boy Scouts, we drove to both coasts, we listened to records, we saw Leonard Bernstein and Bill Evans. You stayed on the mountain all night with me after the rockslide. We made car batteries. We laughed until we cried. Thanks!
I first met John when he came for dinner for my mother's birthday (I think it was in 1990). John and my mother (Jeane Sexson) were like a couple of high school kids, all lit up with excitement. We had to rush through the birthday dinner because John was playing in Walt Smith's band that night so we had fajitas and cake at the same time. Over the years, John became a member of our family, spending holidays, cross country skiing, hiking and taking trips with us. John loved going out for Asian food (Happy Family was his favorite) or sharing a beer with dinner at La Fogata. He always said that he would eat anything (except mayonnaise, any mustard that wasn't the traditional yellow kind, rare tuna . . . ). John loved doing things to be helpful, bringing over batteries, figuring out the best way to hang the Christmas lights, etc. John was a well read man of very strong opinions. He will be missed.
I have so many memories it is hard to know where to begin. Being the pesky kid sister, I remember one time when I was about 10 John wanted to "sedate" me, so he gave me my first taste of beer. I thought it was awful. John's fondness for Hershey's chocolate syrup was well known, and one of his Christmas presents one year was a #10 can of chocolate syrup,
John's knowledge of batteries was unsurpassed. If I ever had a battery question, I was afraid to ask my brother. I would get the "battery lesson", all of which I didn't understand and promptly forgot!
It is sad to be the only surviving sibling from a great family. That makes John's passing even more final. His sense of humor, musical ability, love of the Colorado mountains, and scientific genius will be remembered by all of us, family and friends, Rest in peace, dear brother.
Please accept our sincere condolences. My mother and father had many wonderful times with John in the mountains and at music concerts. I had shared a wonderful afternoon with him and Don Peel after my father passed away in 2001. He and Don helped pick out a wonderful selection of music for the memorial complete with some good laughs.
Dad,
Thank you for your humor: The occasional odd and incredibly funny surprise comments never failed to make me laugh. Thank you for sharing Laurel & Hardy, Benchley and Thurber, Mel Brooks, Monty Python, and more.
Thank you for teaching me to love mountains, forever in my heart, even though I moved to a place where a highway overpass is the highest point around.
Thank you for a home full of music. Though our tastes varied greatly, I love my music as much as you did yours.
Thank you for our love of chocolate and dogs.
Although your life was filled with your worldwide accomplishments and adventures, I will remember you for the things above.