Francis S. McDermott

Mr. McDermott was born July 18, 1929 in Lancaster, PA, the son of Paul F. and Nora C. (Farrell) McDermott.

He retired as a Master Sergeant from the United States Air Force after 21 years, having served during the Korean Conflict and Vietnam Era. He was an Honor Guard for President John F. Kennedy at Brooks Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX during the dedication of the Aerospace School of Engineering. He was also a member of the Air Force Sergeants Association. He was the first director of the Clearfield County Tax Claim Bureau. He worked in real estate title abstracting for twenty-four years.

Mr. McDermott was a member of the St. Francis Catholic Church of Clearfield.

He was a life member of the Third Ward Hose Company. He was also a member of the Clearfield BPOE Lodge #540 where he was Past Exalted Ruler and Past District Deputy of the North Central District. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus, Clearfield American Legion and Clearfield VFW. He was also one of the survivors of the Colonial Courtyard fire in June of 2013.

Mr. McDermott was an avid Penn State Football fan, attending numerous games.

Mr. McDermott was the last member of his generation having been preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Edith M. (Matthews) McDermott whom he married August 30, 1958 in Leicester, England and who passed away December 15, 2012, a brother, Paul LeRoy McDermott and a sister, Mary Elizabeth McDermott.

He is survived by three children; Debra L. Pietrovito and her husband John of Muncy, Paul A. McDermott and his wife Betsey of Clearfield and Sandra E. Wills and her husband James of Greenville SC., seven grandchildren; Shawn Pietrovito, Kyle Pietrovito and his wife Christa, Patrick McDermott and his wife Annie, Michael McDermott, Meagan McDermott, Matthew Wills and TJ Wills, a niece Lisa Sutton, two nephews; Steven and Andrew Sutton and a sister-in-law, Veronica Sutton.

Mass of Christian Burial will be said at 10:00 A.M. on Friday, February 7, 2014 at the St. Francis Catholic Church of Clearfield with Msgr. H. Desmond McGee as celebrant. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery. Military Honors will be accorded at the cemetery by the Clearfield American Legion Post #6 and the VFW Post #1785 Honor Guard.

Friends will be received at the Bennett and Houser Funeral Home, Inc., on Thursday, February 6, 2014 from 7 to 9 P.M. The Elks will conduct a memorial service at 6:30 P.M.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Elks National Foundation, 301 N. 2nd St., Clearfield, PA 16830 or the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517 Topeka, Kansas 66675.

To send online tributes go to www.bennettandhouser.com or www.mem.com