Kathryn Ann McDermott

Kathryn Ann “Kay” McDermott died in American Canyon, CA at age 88. Kay is survived by son Michael McDermott, daughter Tina Pinaglia, son-in-law Dave Pinaglia, grandson Jacob Pinaglia and his wife Kara, and great-grandchildren Liam and Maverick Pinaglia.

She is preceded in death by sister Ruth Fletcher and brother Henry, her parents Sarah Agnes (nee Fahey) and Henry Anthony.

She was born on March 15, 1931 in Newport, Rhode Island into a naval military family. She started school in Hawaii and graduated high school in New London, Connecticut, After graduation from Philadelphia General Hospital nursing school, she became a navy nurse.

She had a challenging nursing career:

ER head nurse
Obstetrics
Started the first ICU in San Bernardino County
Mental health

She went back to school (Redlands University) to get a degree in psychology and education; then became the Director of Staff Development at Patton State Hospital. In 1980, she moved to Napa where she developed training programs for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Yountville.

Upon retirement she served on the Board of Directors for the Red Cross in Napa and for Fighting Back in Vallejo.

What she liked:

To read, and did it slowly to savor the story.
Chocolate - in any form.
Baby animals, especially goats.
The soft music of the 40s and 50s: Billy Eckstine, Della Reese, Dean Martin; and of course Barbara.
To laugh, sing and dance.
Good conversations.
To learn: a life-long student. In her next life she wants to be a professor.
The smell of freshly-baked bread and freshly-cut mowed grass.
Favorite color: mauve.
Favorite musicals: Singing in the Rain, any Rodgers and Hammerstein (South Pacific).
Long leisurely baths.
Sunsets and moonlight.
Sailing.
A warm fire and a cat in her lap on a cold night.
Italian food.
Rooms with views.
To her, family was important, and of course her precious cat Sara.
She loved to travel: after retirement she drove around the USA for a year, visiting family, friends, old school chums and colleagues.

She mentored others, “giving away freely what she had been given” by Fran, Lou, Sam, Mary and Marion.

A viewing (10-11:30AM), service (noon) and reception (1-3PM) are scheduled at Tulocay Cemetery on Saturday, June 8. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.tulocaycemetery.org.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Kathryn Ann McDermott, please visit our floral store.