Robert E. "Bob" Devine, age 81, of Temple, Texas, and formerly of Maquoketa, Iowa, and Denver, Iowa, died June 6, 2009, at Cornerstone Gardens Skilled Nursing Facility in Temple, Texas.


A funeral mass celebrating Bob's life will be held at 10 A.M., Saturday, June 13, 2009, from St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Preston, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 P.M. on Friday, June 12, 2009, from the Carson & Son Funeral And Cremation Services in Maquoketa, Iowa, with a vigil service to follow. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the service time at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Preston. Burial will be at the St. Joseph's Cemetery, Preston, Iowa, with military honors.


Robert E. "Bob" Devine was born on January 27, 1928 in Fairfield, Iowa, to Glenn and Marian (Kerr) Devine. He graduated from Iowa City High in 1946 and enlisted in the Marine Corps, with basic training in San Diego, California. Bob attended the University of Iowa and married Mary Black on November 4, 1950 in Preston, Iowa.


After a brief stint at Clinton Engines in Maquoketa, Bob became a sales representative for Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Iowa, serving Jackson and Clinton Counties. He worked for Blue Cross for 35 years, (except for 4 years as a trust officer for Jackson State Bank in the 70's) the last 9 years at the Blue Cross office in Waterloo, Iowa as District Manager.


Bob and Mary raised a family of eight children in Maquoketa, until 1978 when they moved to Denver, Iowa. He took great pride in his home, his family and his community. He loved to play golf (scoring a hole-in-one three times over the years) and enjoyed giving junior golf lessons in the later years in Denver. While living in Maquoketa he was instrumental in the development of the Maquoketa Community Youth Center and served as a director on the school board of the Maquoketa Community Schools. He was active in Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Maquoketa Lions Club. Bob was proud to serve his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and instilled a love of country in his children and those he knew.


Bob is survived by his wife, Mary Devine of Temple, TX; children, Susan (Carl) Keeney of Maple Grove, MN, Barbara (Donald) Thomsen of Port Byron, IL, Kathleen (Gary) Broadwater of Temple, TX, Thomas Devine of Maquoketa, IA, Carol (Arnold) Goebel of Denver, IA, Jeanne (Robert) Schmidt of Cedar Falls, IA, Ruth (Dean) Olson of Richmond, TX, and Steven Devine of Yankton, SD; 19 grandchildren, Ryan, Jared and Kevin Keeney, Brian and Katie Thomsen, Logan, Kyle and Justin Broadwater, Erica Devine, Amanda Fisher, David Devine, Matt Goebel and Jen McArhen, Michael and Emily Schmidt, Elizabeth and Daniel Olson, and Bethany and Brandon Devine; 8 great-grandchildren, Hailey Keeney, Braylon Thomsen, Ryan Broadwater, Adam Broadwater, Caitlyn Devine, Noah and Isaac Fisher, and Brooklyn Devine; a brother, Jim (Jacky) Devine of Homestead, IA; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, George and Dan, and one grandchild, Jeffrey Dean Keeney.


Memorials may be made to the Edwin Black Scholarship Fund, c/o Clinton National Bank, P.O. Box 249, Preston, Iowa 52069, or to Cornerstone Gardens, 763 Marlandwood Road, Temple, TX 76502.


Online Condolences may be left at www.carsonandson.com.

Carson & Son Funeral And Cremation Services