COL Dionisios Peter Devaris

Dionisios Peter Devaris ("Dan"), 93, of Annapolis MD, passed away on December 20, 2023, in Baltimore, MD. He was born on April 20, 1930 in Brooklyn, NY. He was the child of immigrants from Greece, and he spoke only Greek until he started school.

Dan, as he was known to his loved ones, had a distinguished career as a psychiatrist in the US Army Medical Corps, serving from 1955 to 1993. He proudly dedicated 38 years of his life to serving America and helping service members and their families. Dionisios retired as a colonel, leaving a lasting impact on the military community.

During his military service, Dionisios held positions at institutions such as Landstuhl Hospital in Germany (where his daughters Valerie and Denise were born) , Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington DC (where his son Peter was born), and Letterman Army Hospital in San Francisco, where he served as the Chief of Child Psychiatry. He also served as the Chief of Psychiatry at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany, and as the Deputy Commander of the hospital at West Point. At Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii, he excelled as the Chief of Psychosomatic Medicine. Dionisios was among the first doctors nationally to be board-certified in Geriatric Psychiatry. Additionally, he played a vital role in the transition team for the admission of women cadets at West Point.

Beyond his military career, Dionisios had a passion for collecting gems and stones, particularly opals. He enjoyed cutting, polishing, and creating unique pieces of jewelry. He also loved taking drives to admire bodies of water, waterfalls, and the beauty of autumn leaves. As a youth, he took pride in his basketball skills despite his short stature. Dionisios cherished his Greek heritage and embraced Greek culture, including the food, music, dance, and traditions. He would often share the meaning of his name, Dionisios, being the Greek god of drinking and wild parties, when introducing himself to others.

Dionisios is survived by his loving family, including his daughters Valerie Devaris and Denise Karbassi; his son Peter Devaris; his granddaughters Jessica Pardew and Mae Bergsman; his grandsons Louis Bergsman and JD Devaris, and his great-grandson Zachary Bergsman. He is also survived by his ex-wife, Shirley Devaris.

Dionisios Devaris received his Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University and earned his MD from Downstate Medical School in New York.

A funeral service to honor and celebrate Dionisios Devaris' life will be held on Friday January 26, 2024 at 1 PM at the Eastport United Methodist Church in Annapolis, Maryland, followed by a burial service at the Maryland Veterans’ Cemetery in Crownsville (see www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/annapolis-md/dionisios-devaris-11594841). In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to Doctors without Borders (www.doctorswithoutborders.org/).

Dionisios will be remembered as a loving father and Papou, a dedicated psychiatrist, a proud military veteran, a skilled craftsman, and a lover of Greek culture. His legacy will endure through the lives he touched and the memories he created.