Donald Devor

Donald P. Devor left this world on October 8, 2016 after a one year battle with prostate cancer. Born in Detroit, Michigan to Hazel Rose and Paul Edgar Devor he endured the Great Depression as a child. He enlisted in the US Navy in August 1943 and served on the USS Jason until April of 1946 achieving a rank of Quartermaster 2. Following his Navy service he spent a year at the Detroit Institute of Technology and then another year at Wayne State University. In 1948 he moved to California attending UCLA from September 1948 to June 1951 attaining a Masters Degree in Physics. In 1951 he moved to San Diego, California working at Consolidated Vultee Aircraft (Convair) as a research engineer. He and his first wife Geraldine built a house in Bay Park from a kit sold by a local lumber company. His daughter Ann and son William were born at that time. In 1954, the family moved to Altadena, California when he got a job at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena working on missile guidance systems. In January 1957 he joined Hughes Research Laboratories. He was a member of the Electro Optical-Data Systems Group working with Ted Maiman, Charlie Asawa, Irnee D’Haenens, and others on the team that successfully fired up the first laser confirming predictions from quantum physics. He went on to create the first laser pumped maser which is shown in the iconic photo above where he is setting the voltage on the laser power supply and preparing to push the button which initiates the laser action in the laser crystal (in glass below a liquid Helium Dewar ). Charlie Asawa is in the background adjusting the magnetic field to tune energy levels of the ruby maser crystal to coincide with laser emission. He published numerous research papers and held several patents on laser devices. Following a long career at Hughes Research Laboratories, in 1985 he joined TRW as a Senior Staff Engineer working on infrared imaging systems finally retiring in 1992. In 1975, he married the love of his life Christine Robinson Hardy. He enjoyed a fun filled 23 year retirement with his family and friends enjoying skiing, camping, bodysurfing, and boating. He loved the outdoors with Yosemite National Park occupying a special place in his heart. He and Christine enjoyed numerous ski adventures with the Grindelwald Ski Club in Los Angeles. He never lost his passion for theoretical physics continuing to develop ideas for high temperature superconductors until very late in his life. He was a generous, compassionate and extraordinarily genuine guy. He was loved and respected by all who knew him and a great inspiration to all of us that wonder in awe how the universe works. He is survived by his loving wife Christine Devor, his daughter Ann Devor-Gommel, his son William Devor, M.D., grandson Matthew Rosenberg, and granddaughter Danielle Devor. Interment will be at the Miramar National Cemetery.