Thomas F. DeVoti, 73, of Hillsdale Road in South Egremont, passed away unexpectedly Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019.
Born Feb. 27, 1945, in Astoria, New York, he was the son of the late Patrick and Agnes Wegrzyniak DeVoti. He was a graduate of the William Cullen Bryant High School in Queens, New York. Tom was a member of the U.S. Army, serving tours in both Korea and Vietnam. Known as the “telephone dude in the gold Scion,” Tom worked for various phone companies throughout New York and Massachusetts until the late 1990s, when he ventured out on his own installing telephone systems.
Tom and his family moved to the Berkshires in 1993. However, New York remained in his blood. He was an avid fan of the New York Islanders, New York Giants and New York Mets. Although his allegiance stayed with the Mets, he enjoyed attending a Boston Red Sox game with his son-in-law and grandson. His sense of humor knew no bounds and his one-liners were classic. He was generous to a fault, never knowing the meaning of the word “no” or “I can’t” — he would give you the shirt off his back if needed. However, there was nothing more important to Tom than his family. He cherished the yearly family vacations to Lake George, New York.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Elsiejean LeRose DeVoti whom he married on July 11, 1971 in Elmont, N.Y. Along with their children, Susanne Shannon and husband Anthony; Anthony DeVoti and wife Karyn; Christina Kreis and husband Eric; Jeremy VanDeusen and wife Crystal; eight grandchildren, Katelyn, Benjamin, Jack, Ryan, Jacob, Thomas, Madison and Lucas. He is also survived by his older brother William DeVoti and his wife Dorothy of Sheffield, Mass., as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members.
The family will receive friends Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019, from 4 to 7 p.m. at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington. A service celebrating Tom’s life will be held Friday, Jan. 25, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Egremont. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the Egremont Fire Department or the Lupus Foundation through FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230. To send remembrances to the family, go to http://www.finnertyandstevens.com.
