Gerald M. Devlin
elevated 0PyW4 November 23, 1930 – November 6, 2023
elevated 0PyW4 Visitation
Friday November 17, 2023 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm & 6:00 -8:00 pm
elevated 0PyW4 Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, ON, L3T 3Z6
elevated 0PyW4 Funeral Mass
Saturday November 18, 2023 at 1:30 pm
elevated 0PyW4 Chapel of St. Joseph- Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
elevated 0PyW4 View Funeral Mass
elevated 0PyW4 Interment
elevated 0PyW4 Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
elevated 0PyW4 Obituary
elevated 0PyW4 Gerald M. Devlin, Q.C., died peacefully, surrounded by love, on Monday November 6th, 2023, after a few months of deteriorating health.
elevated 0PyW4 He leaves behind his beloved wife of 66 years, Irene, his 5 loving children, Joe, Mary Teresa (Steven), John, Anne (David), and Michael (Nadine), his 13 grandchildren, Sarah (Matt), Rebecca, Victoria, Joan, Erin, Michael, Kate, Ruth, Ellen, Annie, Matthew, Lauren, Caleb, his great grandson, Alden, his sisters and brothers-in-law, and many nieces and nephews.
elevated 0PyW4 Gerry was born in Detroit, Michigan to Katherine and Joe Devlin, and eventually moved to Toronto. He attended St. Michael’s College School and then graduated from St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto in 1955. He is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School (LL.B, 1959), and was appointed a Queen’s Counsel in 1975.
elevated 0PyW4 After a short period in private practice, Gerry joined North American Life in 1960, was appointed General Counsel and Secretary in 1969 and became Vice-President, General Counsel and Secretary in 1975. In 1977 he joined the Canadian Life Insurance Association. When the CLIA merged with the Canadian Association of Accident and Sickness Insurers in 1981, Gerry became Executive Vice-President of the new association, and President in 1986.
elevated 0PyW4 Gerry was active in the legal community. He served the Canadian Bar Association as the Secretary, Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the Ontario Branch Insurance Law Section and then as Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the National Insurance Law Section. In addition, he served as President and Director of the Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Toronto, and Director of Catholic Family Services. He also served as a Director of Providence Healthcare Foundation. From 2010 – 2012, he was President of the Senior Alumni Association at the University of Toronto.
elevated 0PyW4 In 2005 Gerry received the Arbor Award from University of Toronto to recognize his exemplary service as a volunteer who made sustained and valuable contributions to the experience of the university’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni. This award is the highest honour given to University of Toronto volunteers.
elevated 0PyW4 Gerry and Irene were founding members of Annunciation Parish and were actively involved in the Marriage Preparation course for young couples. In addition, Gerry was very involved in local politics.
elevated 0PyW4 Gerry enjoyed a long, full, and happy life. He was an upbeat person who enjoyed meeting people. He loved music, especially jazz, classical, and rock ‘n roll. He loved food, especially chocolate. He cherished life and was a devoted husband and father. Inspired by the Basilian Fathers, he encouraged his own children to value their Catholic faith, truth, justice, and education.
elevated 0PyW4
elevated 0PyW4
My thoughts and prayers go out to Mrs Devlin and the family at the passing of their beloved Patriarch. I never had the pleasure of meeting Mr Devlin but his daughter Anne has been a great blessing in my life and to hear her speak of her dad is to know how much he was loved and respected by his family. May He Rest in Peace.
Mary Teresa, Steve, Ellen, and Annie,
our thoughts are with you all at this time while you deal with your personal loss. Please take care,
Love Linda and Brian
A beautiful tribute to a man much loved and respected by family and friends. He will be missed but remembered by all those whose lives he touched. May your memories and faith comfort you in the coming days.
Irene and Family Devlin: A man of great faith and commitment to Annunciation Parish! He was a great support and councillor to a first time pastor! Irene be assured of my prayers! May he rest in peace and may the Lord embrace Gerry in His loving arms!
Mary Teresa, Steve and family. I saw the obituary published in the Globe and Mail. All our condolences on your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Angela and Michael Jacobs.
Irene, Joe, and family, we send our love and condolences. Baba Devlin was an amazing, warm, and caring gentleman and I will remember him with lots of love and fondness. May he rest with the angels.
The Devlin’s have been wonderful neighbours and fellow parishioners at Annunciation church. Anne and Michael were trusted babysitters for me many years ago and that was, in large part, because of the way they were raised by Irene and Gerry.
Irene and family you have my sincere condolences for your great loss. We are all blessed to have known Gerry. He lived an exceptional life made possible by his great faith.
God bless you all.
Dear Joe, Mrs. Devlin and family …. we are very sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
My sincere condolences to you, Anne, and the rest of your family. Thinking of you and sending you prayers.
Dear Anne and family,
Just to let you know that I will remember your Dad and your family in my prayers and Masses here in Thunder Bay.
Sending my condolences and thoughts to you all.
Sincerely,
Bishop Fred Colli
Dear Anne and Family – with prayerful condolences from your friends and colleagues at St. Jerome’s University.
I offer my sincere condolences to the entire family. May God give you strength during this difficult time.
I remember Mr. Devlin was always kind and welcoming when I went to the family home to spend time with my friend Anne.
I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Mr. Gerald M. Devlin. He was the father of my manager, Joe Devlin. “A person who departs from this earth never truly leaves, for they are still alive in our hearts. Through us, they live on”. May our Lord bless and comfort his beloved wife and the entire family during this time of grief. Please accept my most heartfelt condolences.
I am so very saddened to hear of my Uncle Gerry’s passing. He was such a wonderful, kind, funny, loving man. I know he is with God and Bee and Jojo and Mom. I am sending my Aunt Irene my love and condolences as well as my cousins. Uncle Gerry will be so missed and anyone who met him knew how wonderful he was.
Rest in peace Uncle Gerry. Until we meet again.
Your niece,
Kass
(Kathryn Howe Shapiro)
Dear Anne,
Heartfelt condolences to you and the family on your dear Dad’s passing. As you mourn his loss, may memories of his loving care and happy times spent in his presence warm your hearts and lighten your grief.
Our Dearest Irene and Family, We are deeply sadden to learn the loss of our dearest Friend Gerry.
Please accept our sincere condolences. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family
As a new comer to Canada, having to meet you both at the Annunciation Church was unforgettable. You helped us and guided us in so many ways during our difficult time. Never forget all your kind words and good advices and encouragements you gave us. So many wonderful memories going back to 20 years. Gerry you are always remembered as a loving, kind hearted person. You will be deeply missed . Rest in Peace Gerry.
As next door neighbours on Butterfield Drive for many years growing up, I always remember how friendly and kind Mr. Devlin was. He always said Hello and was genuinely interested in how we were all doing.
He was very patient when a stray road hockey shot would hit a house window or car during our hundreds of hours of road hockey games with the Devlin kids on our two driveways .
My sincere condolences to Mrs. Devlin and the entire family who were all a big part of our family’s lives growing up.
The Devlin Family led by Gerry and Irene were a wonderful help and example to our family and many parishioners at Annunciation, he even recruited Suzanne and I as facilitator couple at the Marriage Preparation Course. Lovely couple and wonderful children. Teresa, Anne and Michael were babysitters for our children often. Good Man , prayers will be offered for Irene and the family.
Please accept my sincere condolences on Gerry’s passing. He was a true gentleman, and a well respected lawyer. May his memory be a blessing to all who had the privilege to know him. My sympathies to Irene and the family.
Condolences to the Devlin Family, particularly Mrs. Devlin and Michael.
I worked with Mr. Devlin when he was a veteran in the life insurance industry and I was just starting out. He was an excellent professional mentor. More importantly, he was a genuinely caring man. I admired his courage very much and remember him with fondness.
Dear Devlins All, I only just learned of Gerry’s passing, but I believe salutes and condolences for such a generous and gracious man could never be stale. He was certainly my mother’s dearest colleague from the NALACO years and our families enjoyed the extension of their friendship. As a young lawyer at Lang Michener, I boasted Gerry as my own colleague and friend, and he MC’d my wedding reception. And those are just a few intersections with him and the family of which he was so proud. His life was a blessing to so many! Thank you for sharing him with us. Praying for peace for his soul and for the hearts of all who miss him, Catherine (Meechan) Motz