Wayne E. McDermott

Wayne McDermott passed away on October 23, 2018 at the Marias Heritage Center in Shelby Montana. Services will be held at St. Williams Catholic Church on Monday, October 29 at 11 a.m.

Wayne Edward McDermott was born to Edward Joseph and Ethel Sarah (Barnes) McDermott on May 26, 1927 in Sunburst.  His older sister Ethel Verona, died when she was two. He had four younger siblings; James, Rodney, June and Jack.

Wayne attended school in Sunburst. He enlisted in the Navy and fought in World War II. After the war he went to work at the Big West Oil Refinery in Kevin. In 1948 he married Dorothy Mae Tucker and they had five children; Gary Wayne, Jerry Lyn, Deborah Kay, Diana Lee and Dorothy Elaine “Bonnie”.  Wayne and Dorothy later divorced.

Wayne moved to Sandpoint where he met Florence Woodfill. They married in 1967 and the next twenty years were the happiest in his life. Florence died in 1988. Wayne held a variety of jobs in Sandpoint before going to work for the Independent Highway District where he did whatever needed to be done. During his tenure he worked as a mechanic and operated snow plows and other heavy equipment. He served as district equipment operator and mechanic for twelve years.  After his retirement, he served eight years as a Highway District Commissioner.  He moved to Shelby in 2011 to be closer to his children.

Wayne was preceded in death by his parents Ed and Ethel, all of his siblings (Ethel, James, Rodney, June and Jack), his wife Florence, step-daughter Loretta May, and step-granddaughter Kimberlee Rasmussen. He is survived by his step-daughter Berta (Bill) Folmer, step son-in-law Ron May Sr., sons Gary (Vivian) McDermott and Jerry (Darby) McDermott, daughters Diana (Bob) Michaels, Deborah Schachtel, and Dorothy Elaine “Bonnie” Harrison. He is also survived by fifteen grandchildren  and twenty-six great-grandchildren; Gary E. “Mac” (Emily) McDermott and their children Vivi, Kyle and Elly, Carl (Ashley) McDermott and their children Sophie and Caden, Ryan McDermott, Lyndi (Opie) Smith, Brad (Amanda) McDermott and their son Allyn,  Lisa (Nick) Campbell and their children Heath, Ivy, and Jackson,  Valerie (Kevin) Eaton and their children Cameron and Haven, Raymond (Heather) Michaels and their children Wyatt and Brooklyn, Tyson (Melissa) Michaels and their children Caeley, Britley, Teigan, Taige, Rhyn and Kanyen,   Ed (Kris) Harrison & their children Abby, Whitley and Tucker, Landon (Kim) Harrison and their son Mason,  LeeAnn Walls and her children Emma and Quincy, and step-grandsons Ron May Jr.,  Burt May, Kirk Rasmusson and his daughter Vanessa.

Wayne’s favorite charities were St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and Shriner’s Hospitals for Children.