Rev. Raymond Peter Devereux died on Wednesday, October 15, 2014, at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. Fr. Devereux was the Pastor Emeritus of St. Beatrice Parish in Schiller Park. He was 72 years old.
Fr. Devereux was born in Chicago on December 6, 1941, and attended Ascension School and Fenwick High School in Oak Park. He was a graduate of Quigley Preparatory Seminary and Niles College Seminary at Loyola University. Fr. Devereux graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary, where he received his Baccalaureate and Master of Arts degrees. Fr. Devereux also holds a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration. John Cardinal Cody, Archbishop of Chicago, ordained him into the priesthood on May 2, 1968.
Fr. Devereux’s first assignment was St. James Parish in Arlington Heights, serving as Associate Pastor for just over six years. He joined the faculty of Quigley Preparatory Seminary North in 1974, where he was a professor for ten years. Fr. Devereux taught Religion and was also the Dean of Studies. During his time teaching at Quigley, Fr. Devereux served as Associate Pastor at St. Dionysius Parish in Cicero (closed in 1990), Maternity B.V.M. and St. Hilary Parishes in Chicago. In 1984, he was assigned to St. Gall Parish in Chicago and served there as Associate Pastor for two years. Fr. Devereux spent another two years at St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish in Matteson, until 1988. That same year, he was named Pastor of St. Margaret Mary Parish in Chicago and remained there until 1995. Fr. Devereux moved to All Saints/St. Anthony Parish on 28th Place in 1995 as an Associate Pastor and was named Pastor in 1996, serving there until 2005. While at All Saints/St. Anthony Parish, he was also named Administrator of St. Therese Chinese Catholic Church, until 2003.
Fr. Devereux served as Pastor of St. Beatrice Parish in Schiller Park from 2005 until 2009. He retired in 2009 and became Pastor Emeritus of St. Beatrice Parish.
Most Rev. George J. Rassas, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, was a classmate of Fr. Devereux’s and the two were ordained together. He recalled, “Fr. Devereux was one of the quieter members of our class. He was always very studious, with a wonderful sense of humor.” He went on to say, “He certainly was a wise teacher and gentle shepherd to his people, always.”
Fr. John Plotkowski, Pastor of St. Zachary Parish in Des Plaines, has many fond memories of Fr. Devereux, “But most of all, I remember him as a teacher and a pastor. He was a teacher of life, religion and family. He was the one who taught me how to be a priest, how to serve people and how to be a pastor.”
Fr. Devereux is survived by his brother, John Devereux, his two sisters, Mary Rutz and Maureen Kerth, and many nieces and nephews.