Recently, the Town of Montgomery lost a native son and a true political and business icon whose dedication and love for the community helped it grow and prosper.
F. Edward Devitt, who served in municipal and county government and was a successful real estate executive for nearly half a century, passed away on May 1 at the age of 88.
The son of the late William J and Agnes Flannery Devitt, he was born November 29, 1935 in Montgomery. As his obituary attests, from an early age Devitt cultivated a love of his hometown, its history and his family’s commitment to it. The Devitt - Flannery Fourth of July picnic was started in 1944 by his mother and sisters with the intention of gathering friends and family close to support the losses of family members due to the war. The picnic continues to this day and welcomes over 100 family members traveling from all parts of the US. Another long-standing tradition is the Thanksgiving hike where the fathers of a handful of families gathered all the children and got them out of the house so the women could focus on making dinner. Eighty-four years later, people still gather at the Devitt home, walk through the village and down to the park, through the trails and along the Wallkill.
Following the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Devitt became a volunteer fireman with the Wallkill Engine and Hose Company in 1954, becoming the third generation of Devitts to achieve lifetime membership in the firehouse.
In 1966 he established Devitt Real Estate. His first commission for a rental property was $30. In 1977, Devitt and his partner George Tolley obtained the master franchise for New York and New England and built the first Super 8 this side of the Mississippi, in Montgomery. Over the course of the next 14 years they built, owned and operated 42 motels from Williamsport, PA to Augusta, ME. After this time of traveling the Northeast, Devitt came back home and focused on his community by offering a diversity of housing opportunities and mixed-use properties. He purchased and restored historic landmarks, integral to the town, creating opportunities to grow the local art community and cottage industries.
In the 1990s, Devitt, along with his brother Bill, transformed the Pleasure Grounds into The Winding Hills Golf Course, an 18-hole executive course open to the public. The foundation of the original farmhouse, the Mahar Wigton home, built in 1789 was restored and garnished with flowers and shrubbery; the original front door was salvaged and replaced. The hand dug, perfectly symmetrical stone lined well remains intact; the poem ‘For Once Then Something’, by Robert Frost, suggested by his son, McKew, inscribed on the protective glass. He was a proponent for incorporating environmental heritage into commercial development, using ongoing communication and a focus on growth issues. He believed that historical and environmental preservation can be accomplished with most commercial projects.
In addition to his business interests, Devitt was active in local politics, serving as Village Trustee from 1966 to 1972 and then as a County Legislator, 18th District, from 1978 to 1986. Among the many boards and chairs on which he focused his time and effort, he was most proud of serving on the board of directors with Pursuit from 2001 to 2020, formerly known as NYBDC (the New York Business Development Corporation), having been appointed by three consecutive Governors.
“Ed, served on the Orange County Partnership Board of Directors from 2007-2012 overseeing projects including President Container, Takasago International Corporation, Pratt & Whitney and others. Ed always considered the necessary balance that was critical in economic development, wisely contemplating both the need for jobs and capital investment and kindness to the environment. He was a beautiful person to work with and I learned a lot from him,” said Maureen Halahan, president and CEO of the Orange County Partnership
Town of Montgomery Supervisor Steve Brescia said of Devitt in a Facebook post shortly after his passing, “The Montgomery community has indeed lost a great man with the passing of F. Edward Devitt on May 1st. His entire life was dedicated to the Montgomery community, his family and his desire to make a positive difference. He certainly was a mover and a shaker in his humble, persistent and gentlemanly way.” He later added, “Many of us enjoyed his counsel and the unending, brilliant ideas he shared. It was his idea to purchase the Pleasure Grounds Parklands which are thriving today. His memory will live on, and the Town of Montgomery is certainly a better place because of one F. Edward Devitt.”
The publisher of the Wallkill Valley Times in an editorial paid tribute to the legacy of Devitt and noted, “As we bid farewell to F. Edward Devitt, we not only mourn the loss of a beloved community leader but also celebrate a life lived with purpose and conviction. His legacy will endure through the continued efforts of his family and the countless lives he touched. In honoring his memory, let us strive to uphold the values of service, innovation, and compassion that defined his remarkable life."
