Charles Thomas “Tom” McDevitt was born in Wheeling, W.Va., on Nov. 12, 1941, to Charles “Chuck” and Edna McDevitt. He died of metastatic cancer on March 19. He was raised in Ohio and graduated from Jewett High School in 1959 at 17, and headed for the U.S. Marine Corps. He served his country faithfully in the Corps for eight years. He attended Ohio State University and shortly after moved to Chicago. He moved to California in 1973, and a few years later he met his lovely bride Lupe, and married in December 1980. He lived out his days in his Simi Valley home.
His love of aerospace led him to his career as a sales-engineer in the aerospace industry where he managed others and helped lead his company to success. He was associated with well-known projects such as the space station, space shuttle, UAVs, and numerous other projects.
He always had a great story to tell and he kept his sense of humor to the end. He rode a motorcycle until the age of 73, and took many cross-country trips. He also enjoyed diving the Channel Islands in his younger days. He had diverse interests from camping and fishing to astronomical photography and sports.
He was born again in 1979 and became a faithful follower of Jesus. He led his family and countless others to faith in Christ by being bold and keeping the faith. We are comforted knowing he is at peace with our Savior. Tom was a loving husband and an amazing father. He was preceded by this father Chuck, mother Edna, and his sister Marilyn Maroni. He is survived by his wife Lupe of Simi Valley, their two sons Michael and Edward and his wife Carri of Camarillo, and his eldest sister Evelyn Giacobbi in Cadiz, Ohio. He will be missed each day and his memory will live on.