Peter D. McDermott

Peter D. McDermott passed away on January 9, 2025, from pancreatic cancer. A funeral mass will be held on January 18, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church.

He was born in Pocatello on September 23, 1939, the son of P.A. and Emily McDermott. His father was born in Ireland and Peter D. was very proud of his Irish heritage. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Catholic School (eighth grade), Pocatello High School, Idaho State University, and the University of Idaho College of Law in 1968. He practiced law with the family law firm (father P.A. and sister Patty) until April 2, 1981, when Idaho Governor John Evans appointed him a District Judge for the Sixth District State of Idaho.

While going to ISU and law school he joined Operating Engineers Local 370 and worked many years for several contractors constructing our interstate highway system. During this time, he met and worked for his longtime best friend Bob Vanderboegh. While practicing law he represented many clients. A most memorable case was when he represented a client whose wife passed away after receiving a swine flu shot. The trial was held in Austin, Texas and was one of the first swine flu cases in the United States to go to trial. The verdict was very favorable to his client.

Every year while practicing law he held a St. Patrick’s Day party at his law firm. Peter D. loved to entertain his friends, and the parties were always well attended.

In 1976 he started a softball team comprised of local attorneys and they, in the local beer league, won several trophies for first place and had lots of fun for over 20 years. The team’s name was the “Sixth District Mouthpieces”.

While a student at ISU he was involved in many campus activities. He joined the Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity and was elected President his senior year.

He was an avid supporter of ISU, established a scholarship fund for students in pre-law and was a lifelong member of the Bengal Athletic Booster Club. He was very pleased and humbled when selected by ISU to be the parade Marshal for the 2013 homecoming parade.

While serving as a District Judge, he believed the most important and significant accomplishment was trying to help people change their lives for the better. He presided over many high-profile cases and sat as a judge on many cases with the Idaho Supreme Court and Idaho Court of Appeals. He served as Administrative Judge for the Sixth Judicial District over 10 years and was a President of the Idaho District Judges Association. As a District Judge he received further legal training at the National Judicial college in Reno, Nevada, and was asked to be an instructor at the college several times.

He retired in 2009, after serving 28 years on the bench and was very pleased the Bannock County Commissioners named his courtroom after him. After his retirement he was asked to be an Appellant Judge for the Shoshone Bannock Tribes and greatly enjoyed his duties for the tribes.

He cared deeply for each of his cases, however, the two that he will always remember were State v. Hairston & Klipfel and State v. Adamcik and Draper.

The Hairston case involved two individuals on the run from Colorado who stopped at Duke & Delma Fuhrman’s ranch near Downey. Said they needed instructions on some address and as Duke Fuhrman was looking through the phone book James Hairston shot him in the head point blank. Mrs. Fuhrman heard the shot and came running toward Duke and Mr. Hairston shot her in the face. He then shot Duke again. He killed both and the two fled, stealing credit cards and other valuable items. They were arrested & returned to Pocatello and after a week and a half jury trial, both were found guilty of first-degree murder. At the sentencing the entire jury returned and sat in the same seats they sat in during the jury trial. Judge McDermott sentenced Mr. Hairston to death, and he remains there today. Mr. Klipfel was sentenced to life without parole. The law in Idaho has changed and only a jury can sentence someone to death.

In State v. Draper and Adamcik, it involved the brutal stabbing death of Cassie Jo Stoddart who was a classmate of Adamcik and Draper at Pocatello High School. One case involved a Bannock County jury, and the other case was tried by a jury from Twin Falls County. Both jury trials lasted one and one-half weeks and both were found guilty of first-degree murder. Since both were 17, the death sentence could not be imposed. Both were sentenced to life in prison to be served without parole. All these cases were affirmed by the Idaho Supreme Court. 

Peter really enjoyed fly fishing, especially on the Big Lost River near Mackay along with other streams in central Idaho. He loved spending time at his summer home on the Big Lost near Mackay and associating with the people in Mackay, River Bends, and the Lost River Valley. He met his second life best friend Bob “Rookie” Rukavina, who was born in Mackay and could cast a fly with remarkable precision. 

Peter D. and his wife Sande were married 38 years. She passed away on July 14, 2013. He later renewed a friendship with Diane Bilyeu and loved her very much. They went on many trips and especially enjoyed fly fishing together in the rivers around Mackay. They built a new home together with Diane selecting most everything for their home. He really enjoyed weekly coffee with best friend, Tom Dial.

His best friend is John Sellman. They went to law school together and spent many days hunting elk and fishing for trout, salmon, and steelhead. He and Diane spent several trips to John and Sher’s place in Palm Springs and Boise. 

Peter was preceded in death by his parents, sister and wife, Sande. He is survived by his loving companion, Diane; his daughter Lynell (Kirk) Baty, Middleton, Idaho; granddaughters Brianne Baty (Jake) Minor, Caldwell, Idaho; Brittany Baty (Boden) Truman, Parma, Idaho; great-grandsons Dax and Eli Truman, Parma, Idaho; Stepson Tod (Jen) Roebuck, Reno, Nevada; cousins Dale (Vicki) Smith, King Hill, Idaho; Jim Peters, Twin Falls, Idaho; and, Judy Peters, Pocatello, Idaho.

The family wants to express their sincere gratitude and thanks to the staff from Enhabit Home Health and Hospice, especially Remmy, who attended to Peter. They were remarkable in their care and attention to Peter’s needs.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Mackay, Idaho, EMT’s at 202 McCaleb Street, Mackay, Idaho 83251; Idaho State Symphony, at 921 S. 8th Street, Pocatello, Idaho 83201; the Bannock Humane Society, at 850 Barton Road, Pocatello, Idaho 83204.

Funeral mass will be held at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 524 N. 7th Avenue in Pocatello, Idaho on Saturday January 18, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., with reception to follow at 12:00 p.m. at the Idaho State University Alumni Center. 

Pall Bearers will be Kevin Wilhelm, Tom Dial, Ben Estes, Mike Sanders, Don Robinson, Tod Roebuck, Kirk Baty, Javier Gabiola, Paul Laggis, and John Sellman.

Memories and condolences may be shared using the guestbook below.