Obituary: John F. Dever

John F. Dever, at 80
John (“Jack”) F. Dever, of Hull, formerly of South Boston, died peacefully April 14. He was 80.
A proud son of South Boston, Mr. Dever was a U.S. Army veteran, a retired Boston Public Schools teacher, and a coach. 
Starting as a teen, he worked at the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston. He was an avid year-round swimmer and a past president of the L Street Brownies. In fact, as a caption in a Yankee magazine article about the Brownies noted in 2009, “The intrepid Jack Dever never misses his daily swim, whether he’s home in Hull on Nantasket Beach, or dipping into the surf near his condo in Fort Lauderdale, or checking in with his fellow Brownies at L Street Beach in South Boston.”
Mr. Dever was one of the original founders of South Boston Youth Hockey and coached that sport for many years. He was later inducted into the South Boston Sports Hall of Fame as a coach. In addition, he was the head hockey coach at Hyde Park High School and coached swimming for many years at the John D. O’Bryant School in Boston.
The beloved son of the late John F. and Evelyn N. (Kelleher) Dever, he was the loving brother of Kathleen Dever, of Hingham; Paul and his wife, Barbara Dever, of North Easton; and Diane and her husband, James Kennedy, of Marshfield. Mr. Dever also is survived by 11 loving nieces and nephews as well as 12 great-nieces and great-nephews. 
Funeral services are private. For online condolences, visit www.oconnorandson.com