Thomas E. McDevitt (88) of Effingham

Tom McDevitt, 88, of Effingham, died peacefully on July 8 at St. Anthony Hospital, surrounded by family.

Tom was born on December 25, 1934, in Effingham to Thomas A. and Louise (Frese) McDevitt. He is survived by his wife, Carole (Frazier), and his children: Julie (Therese Hickey) and grandchildren Nora and Jose, of San Francisco, CA; Terry (Karen) and granddaughter Maddie, of Chatham, IL; Matthew (Amy) and grandchildren Henry, William, and Jane, of Denver, CO; and Tim, also of Denver. He is also survived by his brothers, John and Dennis, of Effingham, and Edward, of Naperville. Tom was preceded in death by his parents and one son, Andy McDevitt.

Tom was a devoted father to his children and grandchildren, instilling them with his values, providing them with many memories, and nurturing them with his love.  A lover of the outdoors, each summer he would pile the family into his van and head west to the mountains to camp and fish.  Even in his later years of life, he would frequently make the trip to Colorado to see his family.  He was also a loving husband to Carole and they shared many happy adventures together, even driving to Alaska.  He was also known for his delicious pumpkin bread recipe and loved to bake and share loaves as gifts of appreciation.

Baseball was Tom’s passion. After graduating from college, he signed to play professional baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals, playing in the minor leagues for six teams. From 1977 to 1988 he was head baseball coach at EIU, where his teams finished 5th in the nation in 1978 and 2nd in the nation in 1981. During his 11 years at EIU, 28 players signed professional contracts including two 1st round draft choices, with 5 of those players playing in the major leagues.  More importantly, he was a mentor and father figure to many of his players during his time at Eastern.  Tom retired from EIU in 1989 after 11 consecutive winning seasons and subsequently worked as a major league baseball scout for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, and Cleveland Indians. 

Tom graduated from Effingham High School and Eastern Illinois University, later receiving a master’s degree from Southern Illinois University. Prior to his baseball coaching career, he taught in public schools and worked as an academic advisor at EIU. 

A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 am on Saturday, July 22nd at Sacred Heart Church in Effingham, with the Rev. Father John Titus officiating. Burial will follow at St. Anthony Cemetery in Effingham. Visitation will be held on July 21st from 4-7 pm at Bauer Funeral Home in Effingham. In lieu of flowers, Tom requested that any memorials be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.