James Dickson DeVane III, of Fayetteville, died quietly Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009, in his home following a 16-year battle with cancer. This was the fourth time Jim DeVane encountered death. At age 6, Jim contracted lockjaw from a pet rabbit. His family was advised that he was not expected to live, and he was hospitalized for most of his first-grade year of school. Not only did he recover, he was promoted with his classmates at year’s end. At 19 years old, Jim, a sergeant and combat-promoted assistant squad leader with the 302nd Infantry Regiment in World War II, was taken prisoner with his unit following several days of intensive fighting engaging the German 11th Panzers armored tank Ghost Division in the Saar-Moselle triangle of France. As a POW at Stalag XII-A in Limburg, Germany, Jim fought starvation, frostbite, lice, dysentery and dehydration in addition to the atrocities imposed in the German POW prison. He was liberated by the British on April 28, 1945, following 105 days of captivity. At 50, Jim contracted acquired autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Again, his family was advised to make funeral arrangements, and again, within a year, he was back to work. A member of the Greatest Generation, Jim is mentioned in Tom Brokaw’s book as an example of that era’s heroes. He was an Eagle Scout, won the Challenge Cup his senior year at Fayetteville Senior High School, graduated as a veteran student from the Citadel, retired as a captain from the USAR, and with his wife, Betty, owns Burkhead-DeVane Label Specialists. He is survived by his wife, two children, two grandchildren and a sister. A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. today, Jan. 20, 2009, in Cross Creek Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Hay Street United Methodist Church, Stained Glass Window Fund, where Jim was a lifelong member, P.O. Box 456, Fayetteville, NC 28302. Arrangements by Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service & Crematory of Fayetteville. Tags: 1949
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