Francis Clair (Frank) DeVault's Obituary
DeVault, Francis Clair (Frank) 62, passed away peacefully in Plano, Texas, January 11, 2014 after a long, brave battle with cancer, with his wife Donna by his side. Frank was born on January 21, 1951 at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia to U.S. Air Force communications non-commissioned officer Francis E. and Doris V. DeVault. He grew up on military bases from Japan to Germany as the oldest of four siblings. Frank volunteered to serve in the U.S. Air Force at the height of the Vietnam conflict, after graduating from high school. As a radar bombardier navigational systems analyst for C and D type B52 Bombers, Frank provided support from U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Thailand during a year of around-the-clock bombing. He left the military in 1972, but was soon back in Southeast Asia as a civilian, supporting a Texas Instruments contract to provide Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR) capability to the U.S. military. Frank’s use of FLIR to film the Cambodian activity began a long and distinguished career of serving America as a civilian. Frank played a role in the creation and improvement of many of America’s primary weapon systems as a talented and seasoned weapons systems engineer. Although quiet in person, his ability to closely coordinate and conduct effective approaches to solving technological military problems was the hallmark of his professionalism. Frank married Donna Elaine Rice in Dallas, Texas on May 2, 1981. They were happily married for 32 years. Frank and Donna shared a love of animals, cooking, ocean cruises, and shotgun sports, including competing in sporting clays tournaments and Dallas Gun Club camaraderie. Frank graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. He soon went to work as a principle systems engineer for Raytheon in its Missile Systems, Defense Systems Segment, where he continued to work until he became too ill to continue in September 2012. Frank is survived by his wife, Donna DeVault; their devoted dogs, Kelli and Molli; sister, Catherine D. Hutchinson; brothers, Darl E. and Donald D. DeVault; niece, Danielle Amend; nephews, Nathanial and Patrick Hutchinson and many other family and friends. Donna, along with all of Frank’s siblings, wish to thank the outstanding caregivers at the Silverado Plano Memory Care Community and Silverado Hospice for their tireless help and care the past eight months, which enabled both Frank and Donna to enjoy the best quality of life possible in Frank’s final months. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM on Wednesday, January 15, 2014 at Restland Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held at 3:00 PM on Thursday, January 16, 2014 in Restland Wildwood Chapel with interment in Restland Memorial Park following the service.
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