Obituary of Paul Leo Devlin

Washington, DC Paul Devlin, 67, the special assistant to the secretary- treasurer for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), passed away on Wednesday after a brief illness. Paul was a long time resident of Peabody, MA. Following a career in public education in the Salem and Peabody schools, he began working full time with the Massachusetts Federation of Teachers in the early 1970s, and ultimately was elected president of the union in 1980. He served in that capacity for 16 years. Along with his work obligations, Paul acted as a board member for Massachusetts Blue Cross/Blue Shield, vice-president of Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and an international vice-president for the American Federation of Teachers. In 1993, Paul moved to Washington, DC, to become the legislative director of the Public Employee Department of the AFL-CIO before taking a role as special assistant to the secretary-treasurer for the AFT. While in Washington, he served as an active board member for Americans for Democratic Action. Paul is survived by his wife Joan (Buckley) Devlin, brother Ralph Devlin of Wayland, MA, and five children: daughter Mary Devlin and husband Maurice Cunningham of Cambridge, MA; daughter Libby Devlin and husband Edmund Bruno of Tampa, FL; son Paul Devlin and partner Chip Sherrill of Washington, DC; son Peter Devlin of Gaffney, SC; daughter Sarah Devlin and husband Peter Fallon of Portland, ME. He leaves six grandchildren. Paul is predeceased by his parents Leo and Mary (Hawkins) Devlin of Peabody, MA, and his first wife Dorothy (Terrio) Devlin of Peabody, MA. Paul was a graduate of St. John’ s Prep in Danvers, received his B.A. from Boston College, and his Master’ s in Education from Salem State College. His funeral service will be held on Saturday at 10:00 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 12 Chestnut St., Peabody Facility followed by a Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM in St. John’ s Church, Peabody, to which relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours will be held on Friday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM. Burial in St. Mary’ s Cemetery, Salem. Donations can be made in his memory to a charity of one’ s choice