The Reverend George Timothy Devlin, Jr. was born on January 22, 1927. On the morning of July 31, 2017 at the age of 90, the Lord, in His infinite wisdom, grace, love, and mercy, called him home. He was the seventh child and third son of the late George Timothy Devlin, Sr. and Marie Johnson Devlin. He was born in Bradley, South Carolina. He and his beloved wife of sixty-six years, the former Ruth Virginia Middleton, were married on March 10, 1951. To this union, five children were born: Judy Carolyn Devlin Tyler (Lee), George Timothy Devlin, III (Eleanor), Charlie Wayne Devlin (Kim), Ronnie Devlin (Dagmar, "Dee"), and Marvin Allen Devlin. They were blessed with twelve grandchildren: Eric Devlin (Haeyoung), Andrea Devlin, Matthew Tyler (Chandra), Joshua Tyler (Rachel), Amanda Tyler, George Timothy Devlin, IV, Juanita Devlin-Lamb (Mike), Allen Devlin, Michael Devlin, Lauren Devlin, Chris Devlin, and Karen Devlin. They were further blessed with six great-grandchildren.

Reverend Devlin was the last survivor among his siblings. His four brothers were John Cole Devlin, Jeff Lewis Devlin, Alphonso Devlin, Sr., and Elliott Devlin. His five sisters were Hattie Dansby, Rebecca Smith, Rosie Devlin, Gertrude Ward, and Effie Hampton. His one surviving sister-in-law is Lillie Devlin (John).

Reverend Devlin attended Troy Elementary School in Troy, South Carolina. He earned his High School Equivalency, while in the United States Army Air Corps. In 1947, he attended Mims High School, in McCormick, South Carolina, as a United States Army Veteran. From 1966 to 1968, he attended the Allen University Extension School. Reverend Devlin was enrolled in Benedict College Theological Studies from 1970 to 1973. He also attended the Interdenominational Working Ministers Association for Ministerial Studies (1973-1980), and did further studies in the Continuing Education Program, at Piedmont Technical Junior College (1980-1983).

Reverend Devlin served as a corporal in the United States Army Air Corps, from 1945 until 1947. During his military service, he was awarded the American Theater Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.

After his military service, Reverend Devlin worked for PYA, delivering produce, from 1947 until 1962. From 1960 until 1987, he was employed by Parke-Davis/Professional Medical Products, as a semi tractor-trailer operator. He retired from Professional Medical Products in 1987.

Reverend Devlin was very active in his local church, Mt. Sinai AME Church, in Bradley, South Carolina, from his youth. Prior to his service in the ordained ministry, he served as a steward, trustee, Sunday School superintendent, and choir leader.

Reverend Devlin's ministerial service began when he was licensed to preach the Gospel, in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, on June 5, 1966. He was ordained an itinerant deacon on November 16, 1968, and was ordained an itinerant elder on November 15, 1970. Reverend Devlin served as pastor of the St. Mary Circuit (St. Mary and Mt. Zion AME Churches) in McCormick, South Carolina, from February 26, 1967 until 1971. His second pastorate was Antioch and Poplar Spring AME churches, in Laurens, South Carolina. He was appointed to this charge on November 25, 1971 and served there until 1980. While serving there, he built a fellowship hall, at both churches.

On November 25, 1980 Reverend Devlin was appointed Presiding Elder of the Greenwood District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, by the late Bishop Frank Madison Reid, Jr. He served as Presiding Elder of the Greenwood District until the Piedmont Conference was reorganized in October 1993.

On October 29, 1993 Reverend Devlin was appointed the first Presiding Elder of the Abbeville-Greenwood District, by then Senior Bishop John Hurst Adams. Recognizing this as a new privilege of service given to him by God, Reverend Devlin immediately began to build the Abbeville-Greenwood District, with divinely inspired plans for organization, growth, and development. The motto of the District was "The Loved Never Beg." Yearly themes of service and growth were: Meaningful Worship, Making a Difference, Pressing toward the Mark, Making a Joyful Noise, Putting Our Faith in Action, Striving to Meet God's Requirements, Preparing for the Storm, Count Your Blessings, Conquerors through Christ, Living Worthy of God's Promises, and Run by Faith the Race before Us. Reverend Devlin often reinforced the importance of worship, by sharing his fond memory of his grandmother making preparations, on Saturday evening, for Sunday morning. She would explain that she was getting ready to go "hear from heh'em" (heaven).

Reverend Devlin served as a delegate from the Seventh Episcopal District (South Carolina) to each General Conference from 1976 until 2004. He served as Vice-Chairman of the General Conference Delegation in 1988 and 1992. He retired from active ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, on October 22, 2004 but served until December 3, 2004.

Reverend Devlin served as a member of the Allen University Board of Trustees from 1988 until 2004. He also served as treasurer of the Piedmont Annual Conference from 1980 until 2004.

Reverend Devlin served in numerous civic, community, and volunteer capacities. In 1948, he founded the nationally known Golden Stars Gospel Singers. He was the manager of the group from 1948 until 1966. From 1962 until 1966, He served as Executive President of the Bailey Bethel Singing Convention, in Callison, South Carolina. He served for six years, 1964-1970, as president of the Promised Land School P.T.A., in Bradley, South Carolina. From 1964 until 1971, Reverend Devlin was chaplain of the Community Action Program, in Troy and Bradley, South Carolina. He was a member in good standing in Harmony Lodge #37, Greenwood, South Carolina. He was also a member of the NAACP.

Reverend Devlin worked with United Way, as a volunteer, in 1993. He held membership on the following boards: Greenwood School District Fifty Advisory Board to the Board of Trustees (1971-1976); Beckman Mental Health Center Board (1994-2002, appointed by former South Carolina governor, Carroll A. Campbell, Jr., on February 1, 1994); and the Leath Chapel, Inc. Board of Directors.

On October 16, 2004 Reverend Devlin was deservingly awarded the Order of the Palmetto, which is the highest honor awarded by the governor (then Governor Mark Sanford) of the state of South Carolina.

The Reverend George Timothy Devlin, Jr. was a devoted husband, loving father, and a faithful friend and mentor to numerous pastors, preachers, and laity. He will truly be missed by his wife, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, his community, and the faith community.

Celebration of life will be held on Saturday August 5, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church PLEAD Center, with The Right Reverend Frederick Calhoun James, Eulogist, Retired Bishop, African Methodist Episcopal Church; The Reverend Samuel L. McPherson, Presiding, Presiding Elder of the Abbeville-Greenwood District, African Methodist Episcopal Church; The Reverend Franklin Pruitt, Jr., Assisting, Pastor, Mt. Sinai African Methodist Episcopal Church. Burial will follow at Mt. Sinai African Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery.

Flower bearers will be The Piedmont Conference Branch Women's Missionary Society.

The body will be placed in the Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church Plead Center at 10 a.m.

Visitation will be held on Friday August 4, 2017 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at Mt. Sinai African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The family is at the home, 108 Devlin Dr., Bradley, SC.