Vincent L. Devlin ’73

Vincent Louis Devlin, 64, HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Vincent Louis Devlin, 64, passed away unexpectedly on March 22, 2016, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was born August 17, 1951, in Portland to Louis Owen and Ellen Corbett Devlin.

Vincent grew up in Stanwood Park in South Portland. He graduated from South Portland High School in 1969. After high school he attended Maine Maritime Academy in Castine where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Engineering graduating at the top of his class. After graduation in 1973, Vincent worked as a ship’s engineer for various shipping companies both domestically and abroad. He started his career working on ships navigating the Great Lakes. Later his career took him to all the world’s oceans, Europe, Egypt, the Middle East, Guam, Singapore, U.S. Virgin Islands and Peru. Vincent was the first engineer in his graduating class to attain the distinction of Chief Engineer. Additionally, he was the youngest mariner in the country to achieve and hold both Diesel and Steam Engineering licenses simultaneously. He worked for Point Shipping Corporation as Chief Engineer and for the last 20 years, Vincent was Chief Engineer for TYCO Electronics on the ship CS Responder. He was a long time member of the American Marine Officers Union. Vincent was true mariner and loved the life at sea. After a long and distinguished maritime career of over 40 years, Vincent retired to Florida in 2012.

He enjoyed surfing at Higgins Beach in Scarborough, traveling the world, hiking, his dogs, sailing, and spending time with family and friends. He loved riding his Harley Davidson and was a member of the Harley Davidson Motorcycle Owners Group. As the eldest son in a family of eight children, he was a consummate older brother. It was very important to him to look out for and help his younger siblings when he was needed.

Vincent was preceded in death by his parents, Louis Owen and Ellen Corbett Devlin and stepmother Nedra A. Devlin.

Vincent is survived by his wife Jane Katherine Zumaeta Cabrejo Devlin of Fort Lauderdale, Fla; his stepchildren Luis and Claudia Vivanco, daughter Alexandra Pickering (Nate) of Durham, N.C., daughter Kelly Devlin DeRice (Anthony) of Falmouth; his brother Stuart (Vickie) of Wells, sister Catherine Hehman (Jeffrey) of Southbridge, Mass., brother Bernard (Sam) of San Diego, Calif., sister Louann McDonald (Christopher) of Saco, brother Arthur of Newburyport, Mass., brother Eugene (Odessa Gonter) of Newton, N.H., brother Martin (Teari Cayford) of Saco. Vincent is also survived by other important people in his life, Leslie Taylor of Florida, Tracy Davis of Bath, and Adeline (Puddy) Holmes of Chattanooga, Tenn. He is also survived by his grandchildren Aiden, Elle, and Katie Pickering of Durham, N.C. and Lucciana and Robert DeRice II of Falmouth; and many loved nieces and nephews and other relatives.

A funeral service was held at Landmark Funeral Home in Hollywood, Fla. on March 26, 2016 for family and friends in Florida. A private memorial gathering will be held in Maine for family and friends later this spring. At that time, Vincent’s ashes will be interred in the family plot at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland. – See more at: http://obituaries.pressherald.com/obituaries