John McDermott

Minot, passed away Sun-

day, Jan. 10, 2016, at Trin-

ity Hospital in Minot.

John E. McDermott, son

of James E. And Vena L.

(Whitney) McDermott,

was born Jan. 15, 1931, at

Van Nuys, Calif., where

he was raised. He graduat-

ed from Van Nuys High

School in 1949. John later

attended and graduated

from Northern Michigan

University in Marquette,

Mich.

He entered the U.S. Ma-

rines in March 1949.

Shortly after receiving his

honorable discharge from

the Marines in 1950, John

enlisted in the U.S. Air

Force and served his

country until his retire-

ment Jan. 31, 1974.

John was united in mar-

riage to Eileen Kapfer

Peiler June 27, 1975.

Following his military

retirement, John worked

as a civilian at the Minot

Air Force Base for several

years, and later with Job

Service of North Dakota

before beginning employ-

ment with Burlington

Northern Railroad.

John was a member of

the Military Retired Or-

ganization, the American

Legion Post #26 and was

a life member of the DAV

Minot Chapter #4, all of

Minot. While serving in

the Air Force he received

the U.S. Air Force Com-

mendation Medal and the

U.S. Air Force Good Con-

duct Medal.

He is survived by: his

wife of 40 years, Eileen;

one son, John McDermott

of Minneapolis; three

daughters, Vena (Ron)

Duchsherer of Minot,

Melissa (Dan) Spratto of

Ogden, Utah, and Wendy

Georgevich of Sault Ste.

Marie, Mich.; one stepson,

Brian (Andrea) Peiler of

Hermiston, Ore.; two step-

daughters, Brenda Pres-

key of Minot and Tanya

(Nathan) Ammon of

Anamoose; nine grand-

children, Jacob Ammon,

Aimee Duchsherer, Chris-

topher Wilson, Virginia

Pearson, Elisabeth Sprat-

to, Paul Georgevich,

Mathew Georgevich,

Stephanie Georgevich and

Joshua Ammon; 10 great-

grandchildren, Clarissa

Pearson, Nathaniel Pear-

son, Mishayla Broen,

Laira Georgevich, Laine

Georgevich, Lydia George-

vich, Caitlyn Pearson, Jay-

den Wilson, Logan Pear-

son and Cole Broen; one

sister, Patricia Thomas of

Las Vegas; and one broth-

er, James McDermott of

Yuma, Ariz.

John was preceded in

death by: his parents,

James and Vena McDer-

mott; his stepmother,

Marjorie Rapier McDer-

mott; two sisters, Marian

and Katherine Jean

McDermott; and a brother,

Richard Robert McDer-

mott.

Funeral: 11 a.m. Friday,

Jan. 15, at Bethany Luth-

eran Church, Minot.

Burial: Rosehill Me-

morial Cemetery, Minot.

Arrangements with

Bethke-Nelson Funeral

Home of Drake.

Online condolences

may be shared at www.

nelsonfuneralhomesnd.

com.