Cynthia M. McDermott

Cynthia M. McDermott

VOORHEESVILLE — Cynthia M. McDermott was a musician, teacher, and artist who valued most her roles as wife, mother, and grandmother.  

She died on Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 78.

“The grace, humor, and acceptance that she exhibited throughout her illness will not long be forgotten by her many friends and family,” her daughter wrote in a tribute.

Mrs. McDermott was born in Whitehall, New York. An accomplished pianist, she studied music performance at The New England Conservatory of Music and later graduated from Boston University with a degree in music education.

It was at Boston University where she met her husband of 48 years, Frank McDermott, who died in 2006. The McDermotts moved to Voorheesville in 1962 and Mrs. McDermott began teaching elementary music at Voorheesville Elementary School in 1968, a position from which she retired in 1992.

She also taught private piano lessons for many years; her favorite student was her grandson Joey McDermott who, following in his grandmother’s footsteps, is now attending the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York at Potsdam.

“After her retirement, Cynthia, or Cindy as a lot of her friends called her, channeled her creative energies into painting,” her daughter wrote. “She attended many national painting conventions and enjoyed attending all of the classes and spending time with her ‘painting friends.’

“One of the joys of her life was opening her house to the ‘Thursday morning painting girls’ each week for coffee, breakfast, painting, and catching up on the events of the week. Her undying generosity with her home and her time is one of the qualities that her friends and family will treasure most in their memories.

“The roles that Cynthia most valued in her life were that of wife, mother, and grandmother.  Her love and devotion to her family cannot be expressed in words. Her gentle smile and understanding voice will forever be etched in their minds and hearts.”

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She is survived by her son, Thomas J. McDermott and his wife, Elinor, and her grandsons, Michael and Joseph McDermott, and her daughter, Sandra M. McDermott, and her granddaughters, Samantha, Abigail and Jacqueline Smith.

Her funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 14, at St. Matthew’s Church in Voorheesville with burial in Calvary Cemetery in Glenmont. Arrangements were by Reilly & Son Funeral Home of Voorheesville.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Albany County Community Hospice, 445 New Karner Rd., Albany, NY 12205.

The hospice “provided wonderful care to Cynthia during her illness,” her family wrote.  The family would also like to express its gratitude “to the many friends who provided laughter, solace, and support to Cynthia and her family in her final days.  A special note of thanks to Cynthia's dear friend, Marion Onufrak, who provided unwavering comfort and guidance to Cynthia, Tom, and Sandy during this most difficult time.”

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