J. Michael Divney Jr.

September 29, 1940 - December 23, 2020

COLEBROOK – John Michael Divney, Jr., “Mike”, 80, of Colebrook, passed away on Wednesday, December 23, 2020, with his family by his side after a short battle with cancer. Mike was born in Portland, ME, on September 29, 1940, a son to the late John M. and Mary (McNaughton) Divney. Mike graduated from Cheverus High School (Portland, ME) in 1958, where he excelled in his studies of Latin, Greek, and German. He then enlisted in the US Air Force. After completing basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Mike was selected to attend an intensive 9-month Chinese language program at the Institute of Far East Languages, Yale University. Upon completion of the rigorous written and oral language training, Mike was stationed at Shu Lin Kou Air Station in Taiwan with the 6987th Radio Squadron Mobile, US Air Force Security Service. While stationed in Taiwan, Mike met a local gal, Joeng, at a mutual friend’s going away party. The two dated for a while, and they married at the Taipei Cathedral in June of 1962. Nearly 58 and a half years later, the two remained married to the day he passed. After an honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1962, Mike and Joeng settled in Maine. Mike had a variety of jobs, including working at an auto parts store in Portland and later at Cumberland Farms. Upon receiving an offer to manage a store for the Red & White grocery chain in Colebrook in 1970, Mike and Joeng moved to Colebrook. The entrepreneurial bug soon hit Mike, and he opened what became known as Mike’s Chevron, a family-run grocery and gas station. Mike’s Chevron offered services that few gas stations could: tow service, auto repairs, used car sales, wood-splitter rentals, groceries, cold beer, a quick story or two, and the occasional well-timed Yankee witticism. There were many adventures for Mike with his friends in law enforcement, including officers from the Colebrook Police Department, NH and VT State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, and NH Fish and Game. All spent time swapping stories and antics at the gas station. Because Mike met people from all over and from all walks of life, he liked to call Mike’s Chevron his “window on Main Street.” After pumping thousands of gallons of gasoline and dispensing hundreds of Slush Puppies, he sold the gas station and the land in 1985, and it was on to another adventure or two. Mike sold insurance and investment advisory services, and later real estate before embarking on his final career path as a dispatcher for the Town of Colebrook in 1997. Mike loved helping people while dispatching. The job allowed him to remain in contact with the people and their stories in the North Country, and reconnected him with people he knew while working at the gas station. Mike served 20 years as a dispatcher until retiring at age 77 in 2017. People who knew Mike knew he loved that job – which meant it never felt like work for him. Mike embodied the consummate New England Yankee: fiercely independent, resourceful, focused on family, saw the humor in everyday life, and unflinching loyalty to his friends. Upon moving to Colebrook in 1970, Mike jumped into local activities and clubs. In fact, he joined the Colebrook Jaycees just in time to help celebrate Colebrook’s Bicentennial celebration in the summer of 1970. Mike was active in Kiwanis as well. He served as one of Colebrook’s Water & Sewer Commissioners, as Bail Commissioner for Colebrook and the surrounding areas, as a Justice of the Peace for many years, and served as Worshipful Master for Evening Star Lodge # 37, F&AM in 1993. Mike loved playing card games with friends, being a Mason, fishing, hunting and target shooting, reading mystery and spy novels, sipping single malt Scotch, watching all sports New England, and taking family road trips. Mike also enjoyed recording the local weather data for the National Weather Service for 20 years. And he took great pride in his stamina during long-distance drives, including while moving the boys to and from the University of Notre Dame (South Bend, IN), Marquette University (Milwaukee, WI), and Los Angeles, CA. A passion for adventure was always in Mike’s genes as he loved traveling to Europe and to Virginia, Wisconsin, and California to visit family. Highlights of his Europe trip with Joeng included visiting Bob, who was serving in the US Army in Mannheim, Germany, and seeing Rome and the Vatican. Mike leaves behind his beloved wife of almost 59 years, Joeng (Huang) Divney of Colebrook; 3 sons, Steven (Victoria) of San Carlos, California, Jeffrey (Karla) of McLean, Virginia, and Bob (Jenny) of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; 8 grandchildren, Annaliese and Caroline Divney of San Carlos, California, Brendan and Lauren Divney of McLean, Virginia, and Sarah (Michael Linn), John, Aaron and Leah of Wisconsin; and one great-grandson, Oliver (son of Sarah and Michael Linn of Milwaukee, Wisconsin). Mike is also survived by his sisters, Sister Mary Jo Divney and Debbie Hunter, and by his brother, Daniel Divney. There are no public calling hours. A graveside Masonic interment service with U.S. Air Force military honors will be held at a later date in 2021 at the NH State Veterans’ Cemetery in Boscawen, of which notice will be given. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mr. Divney may be made to Area Churches Working Together Food Pantry or the St. Brendan’s Elevator Fund, both located at 55 Pleasant Street, Colebrook, NH. Condolences may be offered to the family on-line by going to www.jenkinsnewman.com. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the care of Jenkins & Newman Funeral Home, Colebrook, NH.