Katherine Hattie McDermott

Katherine McDermott, better known as Katie, passed away on August 19th, 2022 at Bemidji Sanford Medical Center, just 2 days shy of her 75th birthday. She had very strongly and very bravely fought an almost 5-year battle with cancer. 

Katie was born on August 21, 1947 in Cass Lake, MN to her parents, Clair “Mac” and Vera Jean (Nason) McDermott. She spent most of her childhood in Bemidji, MN, although she lived in various other places in her lifetime, she always considered Bemidji home. She gave birth to her first child, a son, in 1970 and to her second, a daughter, in 1986. She worked at different places as a waitress before returning to school in the late 80s. After graduating from Northwest Technical College, she began working for Indian Health Services, where she worked for 25 years before retiring. After retirement, she worked part-time at Target for a couple of years. Katie was very well known for the beautiful quilts she made, a contagious smile and laugh, and as a loving mother and grandma.  

Katie is survived by her children, Rick Jackson and Kasey (Josh) Berg; seven grandchildren, Raia, Sapphyre, Sabastian, Brianna, Alex, Serenity, and Harmony; two honorary grandsons, Everett and Colin; her siblings, Jeannie Dahlberg and Nason McDermott; her best friend, Bonnie Beaulieu; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was processed in death by her parents, her sister Roxanne McDermott, her brother Dugan McDermott, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. 

A service will be held at 2:00 on Tuesday, August 30th, 2022 at Olson-Schwartz Funeral Home. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service. Food will follow.

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