Thomas F. McDermott

Thomas Francis McDermott, best known as Tom, passed away May 5, 2020 at age 84 due to complications from the Covid-19 virus. His children and grandchildren recall his gentle and loving nature, his absolute devotion to his family and his faith, and especially the unconditional love he shared with his wife Lorraine throughout their marriage of 55 years. His family is very grateful to the healthcare workers at South Shore Hospital who cared for Tom during his illness. Before Tom died, he told hospital staff who asked that his favorite song was "God Bless America." He then stunned them by singing it aloud in the same strong voice that he'd loaned to many church congregations, and to The Pacemakers, a singing group he took part in at Grove Manor Estates in Braintree. He and Lorraine lived at Grove Manor for five years. When Lorraine was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and transferred to the memory-care facility there, Tom moved along with her. It was an uncommon choice, but not for Tom, who was always happiest when Lorraine was by his side. We are grateful for the years of memories and the loving care they received at Grove Manor. Tom was born in Boston on Oct. 20, 1935, one of four children of Raymond McDermott and the former Mary Callahan. He was raised in Mattapan and survived polio as a child. After graduating from Boston Technical High School, he served in the U.S. Marines during the Korean War. A devout Catholic, Tom attended seminary for six months with plans to become a priest before deciding to take a different path. He met Camille Lorraine DiMauro, always called Lorraine, at a dance at the Lenox Hotel in Boston. The couple married at St. Mark's Church in Dorchester on Oct. 12, 1964. Tom and Lorraine moved to Wareham, then to Braintree, to raise their family. While the kids were young, he worked days and took night classes at Northeastern University. In 1971, Tom earned a degree in mechanical engineering. His long and distinguished career as an engineer included jobs in the nuclear submarine division at the Raytheon Company, in Portsmouth, R.I., and the Massachusetts Archives and Commonwealth Museum on Columbia Point in Dorchester, Mass. When he wasn't working, Tom reveled in time spent with his wife and children. Family recalled his joy at gathering everyone together for meals, dancing in the kitchen with his wife, and telling stories that captivated his grandchildren. Home, they said, was his happy place. Considered a jack-of-all-trades, Tom was able to fix just about anything. If he happened upon a job he couldn't do, he would teach himself to get it done. He was an avid reader who was always interested in learning new things. A born sports fan, Tom helped build the youth hockey program in Wareham. He coached his sons and daughters teams in both Wareham and Braintree, and later was an enthusiastic fan at his grandchildrens hockey games. He loved Boston sports, and rarely missed watching the Bruins and Patriots on TV. Tom was a man of great faith. At Northeastern he was involved in the Catholic Center - Newman Connection. Later he was a lector and taught CCD classes at St. Patrick's in Wareham and St. Francis of Assisi in Braintree. In addition to his beloved wife, Tom leaves three sons and daughters-in-law - Stephen and Margaret McDermott of Middleborough, Vincent and Patrice McDermott of Braintree, and Matthew and Jessica McDermott of Plymouth - and his daughter and son-in-law Camille and Leon Merian of Hingham. He leaves ten grandchildren: Andrew and Nathan McDermott, Sarah and Myles McDermott, Nicole, Gianna and Luke Merian, and Owen, Colin and Sean McDermott. He also leaves his sister Maryanne Broadwater, and his sister Kathleen DiAngelis and brother-in-law Arthur DiAngelis, all of Falmouth, and his brother- and sister-in-law Vincent and Lorraine DiMauro of Holbrook. He is predeceased by his brother Joseph. The immediate family will be having a private graveside service at St. Patrick's Cemetery in Wareham. A celebration of Tom's life will be held when restrictions on public gatherings are lifted. Arrangements are under the care of the Cartwright-Venuti Funeral home of Braintree. To leave a sympathy message for the family please visit www.cartwrightfuneral.com. The family welcomes donations to the Alzheimer's Association in Tom's memory: https://alz.org/