1879 – 1956 (August 14)
George L. Dermody, son of George Dermody and Margaret Ryan, was born in Matteawan, New York, on January 31, 1879. He entered the novitiate at Villanova, Pennsylvania in 1898, made his simple profession of vows on May 13, 1899 and was solemnly professed on May 18, 1902. He was sent to Cuba as a deacon in order to teach at Colegio San Agustin, and was ordained to the priesthood there in the archbishop’s chapel in Havana, on June 6, 1903, by Michael Bernada, Archbishop of Santiago.
Father Dermondy continued teaching in Havana until 1909, when he was sent to Staten Island, New York, where he also taught in the Academy. In 1914, he was named prior of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Parish, Bronx, N.Y. He became Rector of Saint James Parish, Carthage, N.Y. in 1917. He was named rector of Saint Paul’s Parish, Mechanicville, N.Y. in 1926, and then served in Los Angeles, California beginning in 1929. In 1933, he was assigned to Saint Nicholas of Tolentine in Atlantic City, N.J., and, three years later was named prior of San Agustin, Marianao, Cuba. He returned to the United States in 1938 as prior and pastor at Saint Patrick, Cambridge, N.Y. In 1941 he held these same positions at Saint Joseph Parish, Schaghticoke, N.Y.
From 1945 to 1956, Father Dermody suffered from poor health and was hospitalized in Tucson, Arizona. He died there of cancer in Saint Mary's Hospital on August 14, 1956 at the age of 77. Father James Hurley O.S.A., prior of the Villanova Monastery, celebrated the Requiem Mass, at which Father Robert Sullivan, O.S.A. preached. Prior Provincial Henry Greenlee, O.S.A. presided. Father Dermody is buried at Villanova in the Community Cemetery.
