Joseph A McDermott

Joseph “Joe” A. McDermott, 87, of Newton died on Sunday, September 23, 2018, at Park Centre.  A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, September 28, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton. The family will greet friends from 5-7 p.m., Thursday, September 27, at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Memorials to On With Life in Ankeny or the Myelodysplastic Syndrome Foundation may be left at the church or at the funeral home.

Joe, the son of Arthur and Mary (Maher) McDermott, was born in 1931 in Newton.  He graduated from Newton High School in 1950.  On May 22, 1954, Joe was united in marriage with Barbara J. Goben.  Joe worked for United Telephone Company for 40 years, most of them in Newton except for two years spent in Olathe, Kansas. He retired in 1990.  In addition to his work at the telephone company, he also spent many years farming and had always dreamed of being a pig farmer.  Joe was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and a past member of the Newton Lion’s Club.  Joe and Barb were wonderful dancers and loved spending time with their grandchildren.  Joe was an honest and loving man who was well liked by all that knew him.

Those left to honor his memory are his wife, Barbara McDermott of Newton; daughter, Jaci McDermott of Newton; son, Joe (Kathy) McDermott of Newton; special niece, Rose (Steve) Murphy of Newton; grandchildren, Matt (Alicia) Murphy of Trinity, North Carolina, Grant (Tammy Brain) McDermott, Reid McDermott, and Brooks (Jeszi White) McDermott, all of Newton; two great-grandchildren, Jael and Annabelle Lee and one more great-grandchild on the way; and his many other nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents and seven brothers and sisters, Vincent, Denny, Marie, Gina, Peg, Bernie, and Tommy.

The family would like to thank Dr. Tom Buroker, Julie, Veronica, Olivia and Carrie; Dr. Pat Edwards and Violet; and the nurses and aides at Park Centre Skilled Care for the special care Joe received.

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