MARY'S GENEALOGY TREASURES
James L. McDermott was born in Washago, Ontario in 1885.
They raised eight children:
In 1942, J. L. McDermott was named secretary of the
James L. McDermott died May, 1974.
He married Mary Ann Rafferty of Waterloo, Ontario in July 1913.
They came west and lived in Diamond City for a short while
then settled in Coalhurst where they were active members
of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and the community for over
60 years.
Howard - born in 1914 received all his education in
Coalhurst, he was very active in sports, mainly
baseball and soccer, and he played soccer for the
Lethbridge Miners. Howard died suddenly in 1935
of appendicitis. Lloyd born in 1919, also educated in
Coalhurst was killed in action in Ortona, Italy in 1944.
Roy - born in 1921, educated in Coalhurst, served
overseas during World War 11. He became a barber,
married and settled in Edmonton, then Pincher Creek
and finally Lethbridge where he died in 1968.
Leo - born in 1929 - educated in Coalhurst, worked
for years with the C.P.R., then trained in Calgary to
become a Painter and Decorator. He established his
own business in Calgary. He passed away in 1983.
South Alberta Water Conservation Council - a position
he held for a number of years. He had been active in
the formation of the Lethbridge Northern Irrigation District
and had farmed under the ditch in that project for 15
years prior to his appointment as secretary of the
South Alberta Water Conservation Council.
Mary Ann McDermott died June, 1975.
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