Willard Mcdermott

W. H. (Bill) McDermott March 11, 1926 February 6, 2011

Son of Willard Henry and Mildred June McDermott, Bill was born in Denver, Colorado. He spent his early years in a host of mid west cities as his father moved for work until they settled in Columbus, Ohio where Bill graduated from Bexley High School. After military service he earned a Bachelors Degree from Miami University of Ohio moving west in the early 50s where he eventually earned a J.D. from Denver University. Bill was a man of the west and spent the majority of his life in Casper, Denver, Santa Fe and finally Taos in 1996.

Bills working career was intertwined with the energy industry; first as a roustabout in the oil fields of Wyoming, then as a landman, and later a lawyer and principal. He helped companies find and develop natural resources, took companies public and started his own public oil company, Diablo Oil in the 80s. He was always his own boss and at age 84 he still liked finding himself in courthouses researching land title and participating in the industry.

An honest, hardworking member of the Greatest Generation, Bill enlisted in the army at 17 and served in Pattons Third Army in WWII. On the heels of the Battle of the Bulge, Bills unit crossed the swollen Sauer River into Germany on February 7, 1945. The doughboys were soaked and cut off from the rest of the Army for nine cold days, surrounded by the Germans on a steep hillside. Upon reprieve, Bill realized he had sustained extensive injuries, and he spent his 19th birthday in a hospital in England. A true patriot, he was always active in the political process, running for state senate in New Mexico in the early 1970s and otherwise speaking out in support of his ideals of hard work and self-determination.

Athletic all his life, Bill pursued his love of baseball, beginning in high school as the tall skinny first baseman. He then played as an outfielder on a pro farm team and later played semi-pro softball where he regularly batted in the 400s; baseball was always his first love. He played football, basketball, skiing, tennis and golf. Incredibly healthy his entire life, he shot his age in golf and was still a force to reckon with on the tennis court even in his last year.

Bills children and his wife were the center of his life. Pops, as he was called by his grandchildren, loved the family gatherings where could he could enjoy cherished McDermott traditions like tennis round-robins, cooking the famous Sunday morning breakfasts, preparing his signature Moose Milk on Christmas morning and otherwise enjoying the buzz of his grandchildren around him.

He is survived by his wife and love of his life, Gini (Boles Howell) of Taos, four sons, Dirk (Carol) of Denver, CO, Bret of Denver, CO, Scot (Becky) of Albuquerque, NM, Drew (Christine) of Santa Fe, NM, a daughter, Tracy Howell of Santa Fe, NM, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild


Internment at the Santa Fe National Cemetery will be on Friday, Feb. 18 at 2:00 p.m. A celebratory memorial will be held at the Taos Country Club on Saturday, Feb. 19 from 4 to 5 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent to Mountain Home Health Hospice, P.O. Box 2566, Taos, NM 87571.