(Photo of Lt. Colonel Richard Ball at the Dever Memorial in 2018. Photo by Steve Allen.)
DORCHESTER — Bill Dever, who had been an ardent advocate for Dorchester, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, and the father of fallen Suffolk County Deputy Sheriff Sgt. Richard T. Dever, died on April 30, 2020. He was 76.
Because of the bans on gatherings of larger than 10 people due to Covid-19, the service for Mr. Dever will be private, but the family and the State Police have organized a funeral cortege on Wednesday for Mr. Dever that will leave from the John J. O’Connor Funeral Home, 740 Adams St., Dorchester, and makes it way through the neighborhood and Mr. Dever’s home before heading to Granite Avenue and Pope John Paul II Park in Neponset, where there is a memorial for Sgt. Dever and fallen State Police Trooper Mark S. Charbonnier.
In addition to the funeral procession, friends are expected to line — at a safe distance — the way toward the memorial. We will post more details of the route, when they are released.
William P. “Diz” Dever was the husband of Kathleen T. (Healy) Dever and the father of Timothy P. and his wife, Randi, Brendan P. and his wife, Eileen, Sheila M. Spear and her husband, Bryan, and the late Richard T. Dever.
Mr. Dever was the grandfather of Elizabeth, Julia, Ricky, Madeline, Matthew, and Evan, and the brother of Mary Corkery, Richard Dever, Ann McDonald, and Margaret Fujii. Loving son of the late Celia & Dennis Diver of Donegal, Ireland. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Bill was a highly decorated Vietnam combat veteran serving as 1st Lieutenant Officer in the USMC and was the recipient of the Purple Heart Medal, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat Valor, along with numerous others.
He was a graduate of Boston College High class of 1961 and Boston State College class of 1965. Retired longtime Probation Officer in both Framingham and Roxbury District Courts. Member of the International Longshoremen’s Association Local No. 805. Proud player and coach of 25 years in the Boston Park League Football Program for the Lyons Club and Eddie’s Giants.
Longtime member of St. Peter’s Parish and proud coach of St. Peter’s Little League.
According to the death notice on the O’Connor Funeral website: “The Dever family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to his many loyal friends, the entire staff of South Shore Rehab in Rockland, and the Veterans Administration. Due to the current health crisis, visitation and funeral services will remain private. A Celebration of Life Service to honor Bill will be announced at later date.”
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Bill to the Ricky Dever Scholarship Fund, 157 Livoli Ave., Braintree, MA 02184.
The Dever family was all on hand on Sunday, May 6, 2018, as hundreds turned out as that new granite memorial to honor the lives of two Dorchester police officers was dedicated at Pope John Paul II Park in Neponset. The memorial to the late Trooper Mark S. Charbonnier and Suffolk County Deputy Sheriff Sgt. Richard “Ricky” Dever sits near the drawbridge not far from Granite Avenue.
To read more about the dedication ceremony, click to the BillBrettBoston.com story, here.
The Dorchester News said of the memorial that it honors all of Dorchester in addition to the two brave men who served their communities. To read more about the memorial, click here.
All photos for this gallery were taken by Steve Allen, who died recently from the novel coronavirus.
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