Francis E. McDermott

Francis "Smiley" McDermott, 88 of Worthing died Monday, Aug. 27, 2012 at the Lennox Good Samaritan Center. Francis Emmet McDermott was born March 26, 1924 at Kingsley, Iowa, the son of William E. and Marie (Kimm) McDermott. He attended Elkhorn township school in Plymouth Co. Iowa and graduated from Kingsley High School in 1941. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1943 to 1946. On May 8, 1949 he was united in marriage to Gloria Gayken at Worthing. They lived in Kingsley, IA and moved to Worthing in June of 1950 when he began his career in the grain business, working for his father-in-law, Peter Gayken at Brenner Elevator until Peter's death in 1953. He then managed Brenner Elevator for the Merle Rasmussen family until his semi-retirement in 1991. He then worked part time at the same location for Eastern Farmers Cooperative until his retirement, which completed over 50 years in the grain business. His wife died on June 14, 1995. He continued to live in Worthing until he became a resident of the Lennox Good Samaritan Center. "Smiley" had been a long time member of St. Edward's Catholic Church and more recently of St. Magdalen's Catholic Church. He was a member of the Worthing American Legion, Sioux Falls V.F.W., Knights of Columbus, Lennox Senior Citizens, Lenkota Country Club and long time member of the Worthing Fire Department. Besides his wife, Gloria, he was preceded in death by one son, Peter McDermott, on October 5, 1974; his father in 1973; his mother in 1985; brothers: Michael, Leo, Robert and Dale; sisters: Loretta Gotto, Mary Gollhofer and Betty Lou Schwebach. Grateful for having shared his life are five children: Perry, Worthing, Patrick (Diane Travis), Harrisburg, Robert, Sioux Falls, Robin (Chuck) Houghton, Huntersville, NC and Brian (Christy), Sioux Falls; eight grandchildren; siblings: Marie White, Kingsley, IA and Vincent (Delores) McDermott, Clear Lake, IA; sisters-in-law: Lorraine McDermott, Kingsley, IA and Vivian (Carroll) Fossum, Canton and many nieces and nephews. Services will begin at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 31 at St. Magdalen's Catholic Church, Lennox with burial in the St. Edward's Catholic Cemetery, Worthing. Visitation will begin at noon Thursday at Dindot-Klusmann Funeral Home, Lennox, until 5 p.m. and move to the church resuming at 6 p.m. with a prayer service at 7 p.m.

Francis E. McDermott

March 26, 1924 - August 27, 2012

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