Isabelle "NAN" McDermott

June 17, 1930 - May 18, 2018

Isabelle McDermott, 87 passed away at home, embraced by her loved ones. When the call came in for Isabelle to return to her maker, I am almost certain she hung up and said “ I will go, when I am good and ready”. Which was a typical response when we requested to leave the food store, the first aid building, church, for the doctors, pretty much anywhere someone needed her to go, she would do it on her own terms. As the family spent the last days of her long full life, and we pleaded with her to go be in peace, she stubbornly, yet again, did it on her own terms. We should have known she would continue to be that stubborn spitfire, even in death. Isabelle came into this world on June 17th 1930, to James and Anne Munnelly in the Bronx, NY. Her mother was a homemaker, and her father worked on the rail lines. She grew up in Astoria, Queens. Off Steinway street, after we enjoyed a 30 minute drive around Astoria with her finger pointing to how we should get to her old house, but lacking a sense of direction. She was the oldest of her siblings, Patrick “Paddy” and Maureen. As a young Irish lady, she enjoyed going to Croke Park to watch the Irish Football games, which is where she first noticed Laurence “Larry” McDermott. At one of the Irish dances she would regularly attend, she was asked by Larry to dance, and she denied him. Alas, he was persistent and at another dance, asked her to dance again. And in time became her dance partner for the rest of her life, until his passing in 1991. She once mentioned, it was only a month of them dating that she knew he was the only person for her. She married Larry in 1951, and had her first child Laurence McDermott II in 1952. In 1953, after spending summers in Keansburg during her childhood, they made Keansburg their permanent residence. Where they grew their loving family with Anita, Isabella, and John. She enjoyed a bountiful life of traveling across the United States, trips to Ireland, Irish Dances, politics and supporting the Irish cause, as that was deeply engrained in her from a young age. Isabelle took part in many organizations such as a Past president of the Bayshore Council of Columbiettes, Member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Irish Federation, Irish Northern Aid, St. Ann’s PTA. However, the most impactful was being a member of the Keansburg First Aid Squad. Where she had passion, skill, and dedication and became the first female captain. She served the borough of Keansburg for 23 years, and the proudest of those moments were the 13 babies she delivered. Anyone who truly knew Isabelle, knows she created a life with Larry with all of the things that mattered to them, Faith, Family, and Happiness. As the years went by, their family grew. They had 17 grandchildren, and 15 great- grandchildren. Predeceased in 1995 by her son Larry, He and his wife Kathy had four children- Shaunna, Laurence “Larry” III (Megan), Melissa(Adam), and Maura(Mark). Left behind are Isabella and her husband Michael, with their children Bonnie (Brian) , Amanda (Kyle), Cecilia (Chris), Timmy (Rachel), and Elisa. Anita and Ken and their children Kelli( Ryan) Kyle (Kelsi), Kolleen, and Katie. John with his children Paige (Joey), Deidre, Johnny (Stephanie), Thomas, and Miranda. At this point Isabelle became Nana or Nanny to some, which eventually would become Nan. Friends of the grandkids, extended cousins, in-laws to the gran kids, pretty sure the mailman called her Nan once too. She just became Nan to the loved ones that surrounded her. Nan was blessed with 15 great-grandchildren, and for the last years of her life, they gave her an optimism that she was missing. She loved looking at her pictures of the little ones that were far away, allowing the kids to play with some of her (non-breakable) elephants, having a chat, and even bantering with some of them. Nan lovingly leaves behind Kyah, Ellie, Amelia, Charlie, Mark, Baby Levario, Hailey,John, Kyleigh, Lucas, Baby Young, Ian, Finn, and Reilly. A special great grandchild that left us early, Lucas was awaiting his Nana. Where she will sing him her song to sleep and spoil him happily. Isabelle also leaves behind her sister-in-law Anna and Daniel Syed, many nieces, nephews, and their children. She also leaves behind life-long friends, friends of the family, and many others whom she made an impact on. Isabelle McDermott lived a vibrant and exceptional life, where she loved deeply, made life-long friends that have become part of the family, and made an impact on so many lives. She was smart and sassy, passionate about the people and things she believed in, and loved good banter. She leaves us physically, to a higher calling, but not without a surplus of memories for us to cherish.