L.F. Devereaux Jr.; was sergeant major

Lawrence F. Devereaux Jr., 80, a retired command sergeant major whose Army career included an assignment at the American Embassy in Madrid, died of causes related to dementia Friday, July 8, at ManorCare Health Services in King of Prussia.

Born in Philadelphia, Sgt. Maj. Devereaux grew up in West Philadelphia, where he attended West Catholic High School.

He met and married Pauline McGhee in 1948, the year he joined the Army. They settled in Aldan, but over the years, Sgt. Maj. Devereaux, his wife, and their six children were posted to the Philippines, Japan, Hawaii, Germany, and Spain.

"It was a great way to grow up," said his daughter, Jackie Devereaux Sherlock, "but it was hard on my mother, moving every three years."

When Stateside, the family lived at Fort Devens, Mass. Sgt. Maj. Devereaux moved to the Phoenixville area a year ago as his health failed.

He attained the highest rank possible for a noncommissioned officer, said son Lawrence III. His father's work was in intelligence and centered on the decoding of enemy messages.

A highlight was his service with the Army Security Agency, which posted him to Madrid. He served as attaché at the embassy in 1969.

He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in Vietnam and a half-dozen other citations, his military record shows. He retired in 1978, but he taught at the Fort Devens School of Intelligence for 20 more years.

Sgt. Maj. Devereaux, a self-educated man, was comfortable sitting on a bar stool cracking jokes. He loved a good laugh, which "you could hear in a crowd," his daughter said.

Surviving, in addition to his son and daughter, are four other sons, Paul, Brian, Thomas, and Timothy; a sister, Sarah; a brother, Joseph Larry; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. His wife died in 2004.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 12, at O'Leary Funeral Home, 640 E. Springfield Rd., Springfield, Delaware County. A military burial is set for 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at SS. Peter & Paul Cemetery, 1600 S. Sproul Rd., Springfield.

Donations may be made to the Herbert W. Best Post 928, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 1805 MacDade Blvd., Folsom, Pa. 19033.