Marjorie Elaine McDermott

Marge's life ended unexpectedly on Oct 17. She is survived by her children, Ron McDermott and Danielle McDermott, her sisters Shirley Duplantis, Audrey Burton, and Lori Stiles. Marge was born in Ferndale, WA to Elmer and Lois Beck. Many members of the extended Beck family live in Whatcom County including Marge's aunts, uncles, cousins, and nieces/nephews. Marge's brother Darrel Beck passed away in 2009. Marge was raised on the family farm. With her family she worked the land, serving as an agricultural day laborer starting at age 6 (picking cucumbers and berries), driving tractors, raising livestock and keeping house. Marge is a 1970 graduate of Ferndale High School. She had an adventurous young life in Anacortes, WA. She supported herself waitressing, working construction (as the first female in the Laborers Union north of Seattle), and many other gigs including the shingle factory. She loved the outdoors and was an avid gardener. She traveled extensively, with long road trips to Alaska, Oregon, and California, sometimes staying for months in a place before circling back to the Pacific Northwest. After a number of years as a stay-at-home mom, Marge worked factory jobs, rebuilding car alternators and finally finished her career manufacturing airplane interiors in Bellingham. Marge possessed a strong faith in God. Her faith deepened in time and as an adult was born again. Her love for him is shown in so many ways. We are comforted knowing she is with our Savior free from pain and full of eternal joy. We love her dearly and miss her already. A celebration of life will be held to remember Marge at a later date. The family requests no flowers be sent, we're surrounded by the many she tended in her lifetime. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marjorie, please visit our floral store.