Alfred E. Devendorf of East Hampton “was perhaps best known for his lifelong commitment to charitable causes, such as the Family and Children’s Association and the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence,” his family wrote.
Mr. Devendorf, who was 89 and had been in poor health for a number of years, died at home on Dec. 29.
He had attended and graduated from Choate in Connecticut, regarding “his high school years at Choate as among the most formative of his life, establishing enduring friendships, twice captaining the squash team, and even hosting the baseball star Jackie Robinson, who graciously accepted Alfred’s invitation to visit and speak at the school,” his family said. Mr. Devendorf later became a member of the school’s board of trustees.
After graduating from Cornell University, he served as a first lieutenant in the Army, stationed in Germany. Upon his return, he “fell in love with his future wife,” Barbara (Bonnie) Lancaster. The two were married in 1965.
As he helped raise two young children during the day, Mr. Devendorf pursued a law degree at night from Brooklyn Law School. He went on to work as a prosecutor and public defender in Nassau County and later represented the county as a lobbyist in Albany and as a legal counsel for the Department of Health.
Mr. Devendorf, who was born on March 12, 1935, in Great Neck to George Devendorf and the former Adelina Spinetti, spent nearly his entire life on Long Island, splitting his time between Locust Valley and East Hampton. He was “well known for his athletic exploits, which included impressive net play in tennis and paddle tennis as well as somewhat less impressive shot selections in golf,” his family said.
The Devendorfs shared a love of travel and had visited more than 50 countries together. Their favorites included Egypt, Israel, China, Turkey, and Vietnam.
His wife survives him, as do his children, Diana Devendorf Rice of New York and East Hampton and George Devendorf of Washington, D.C. He is also survived by four grandsons, G. Clayton Rice, Harrison Rice, Mason Rice, and Oliver Devendorf, all of New York. He passed on to his grandsons “a competitive spirit and a particularly well-honed sense of humor.”
A memorial celebration of his life will be held this summer. His family has suggested memorial donations to the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence at licadd.org/make-donation, or to RotaCare, at rotacareny.org
