Patricia Martha McDermid

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Patricia McDermid, a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, and a hardworking woman whose strength and dedication shaped the lives of all who knew her.

Born in Pouce Coupe, British Columbia in 1940 to Fred and Sofie Olenick, she moved with her family to Nanaimo in 1947. Bright and fiercely independent from an early age, she graduated from high school at just 16 years old and moved to Vancouver at 17 to work in the BC Hydro building. After a brief time in Toronto, she returned to British Columbia, where she married Hugh McDermid in 1961 and together, they built a life and family on a dairy farm in Sardis.

She and Hugh raised three sons: Dan, born in 1962, Mike in 1964, and Kevin in 1965. Life on the farm demanded perseverance and sacrifice, and she gave both without complaint. She cared for her children, worked outside the home, prepared meals for her family as well as haying and silage crews, and somehow kept everything organized and running smoothly.

She worked as a bookkeeper for Gord-Ray’s Men’s Wear in the 1960s and later, in the early 1980s, became a grain buyer for the East Chilliwack Co-Op. No matter the role, she was known for her reliability, strong work ethic, and practical intelligence.

She will be remembered as an excellent cook, an organized and capable woman, and a loving grandmother. She found joy in life’s simple pleasures: clipping coupons, doing crosswords, preparing large family dinners, enjoying a glass (or two) of white wine.

She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Hugh McDermid; her sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Bruce Atkinson; and her brother, Fred Olenick Jr.

She is lovingly remembered by her sons and daughters-in-law: Dan and Angie, Mike and Leanne, and Kevin and Mandy; by her six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; by her sister Helen; and by the many family members and friends whose lives she touched.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude for everything she did throughout her life. Her love, sacrifice, and quiet strength will never be forgotten.

Thank you for all you did for us. You will be deeply missed.