Obituary: Judy McDermott, Retired Teacher

from the Beecher Funeral Home

Judy McDermott, 78, the only child of Robert Rohbach & Ruth Rohbach, returned to the loving arms of her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on July 25, 2022. She was predeceased by three loving husbands, Roger Wesemann (d. 1988), Thomas Steigerwald (d. 1993) Michael McDermott (d. 2011). Judy’s dear friends Larry Thesens, USMC, and Jim Pitcher also predeceased her.

Judy is survived by her devoted blue tick coon hound, Jefferson, and Desi, her devoted 14-year-old red slider turtle.

The only part of her education she cared about was learning the words and music to “Jesus Loves Me” in a little church on Long Island at the age of four. From that point on, she built the foundation of her life on a personal relationship with Jesus.

After more than 30 years of circling various Christian denominations, in 1998 she finally ended up where she knew she always belonged - the Roman Catholic Church. She became very involved in the parishes of Sacred Heart and St Lawrence O’Toole. She enthusiastically supported religious education and served as a Eucharistic minister and lector. She was a charter member of the Catholic Daughters of America at Sacred Heart. Judy was especially honored to be a member of Seven Sisters, a Ministry that is focused on praying for her pastor, all other priests and for the increase in religious vocations. She was generous to volunteer and to help and gave wholly of herself.

Caring for her beloved husband Mike during his final illness was one of her great joys and best expressions of her love.

Judy’s love for nature and wildlife permeated her entire life. No animal was safe from her love and attention. Many dogs left paw prints on her heart, but Jefferson was her constant companion, and held a special place in her heart and in the hearts of all who got to know him.

Judy was an enthusiastic, active member of the Pleasant Valley Trout and Game Club.

Having enjoyed the last 37 years of life in sobriety, Judy never stopped proudly acknowledging the grace of God in AA. She was living proof that AA works if you work it.

Immediately after Hurricane Katrina in 2005 Judy and Mike started a small grassroots organization to reunite people and their lost pets which resulted in 15 tons of essential supplies and $15,000 directed to a small Catholic parish in Saint Bernard, LA where she and Mike made lifelong friends.

Judy was a public school teacher for 33 years in the Glen Cove City schools and had a lasting effect on all her many students. What she could do for her students was more important to her than test scores. If she had had the career opportunities that exist today for women when she graduated high school in 1961, she would have been a long-distance truck driver or an operating engineer.

She loved the outdoors, the smell of the morning breeze, the sweet scent of the blooming flowers and the sounds of the birds singing.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday August 1, 2022, at 11:00 am at St. Lawrence O'Toole Church in Brewster NY. Interment will be private. Calling hours will be held on Sunday July 31, 2022, at 6:00pm-8:00pm at Beecher Funeral Home on 1 Putnam Ave Brewster, NY.