Constantine (Gus) Dermand

Constantine Nick (Gus) Dermand, 101, passed away December 22, 2025, at the Southfield Wellness Assisted Living Center in Webster City, IA. Visitation will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church on Saturday, January 24, 2026 from 9:30 – 10:45 AM, followed by a Celebration of Life service at 11:00 AM, lunch will be served immediately following the celebration. The family has chosen Boman Funeral Home (www.bomanfh.com) to care for their needs

Gus Dermand was born July 16, 1924, to Greek immigrants Nick and Mary (Satoropoulous) Dermand in Webster City, IA. He was the first of three boys born to Nick and Mary. Gus received his education and graduated from high school in 1943. Immediately following graduation, he joined the US Navy and served in WW II on a Navy destroyer escort ship. The USS Koiner. He served as the sonar operator aboard the ship and helped with the sinking of a German U-boat off the coast of New Jersey in 1944. After serving in the Navy until 1946 he came back to Webster City and joined his family in the restaurant business where he worked at Dermand’s Cafe. He married Nancy Jane Parrish in 1952, and three children came from this union. He co-owned and operated Dermand’s Café until it was sold in 1985. He then began working as a janitor for Elm Park School and Lincoln School. He loved this job – “working with the kids and not having to make any decisions!” He retired from the school system and began working summers for the city mowing grass in the city parks and cemetery.

Gus was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers Christ and Theodore. His wife Nancy passed away in 2019. Nancy and Gus were married almost 68 years and made Webster City their home.

Surviving Gus are his children – Stephan Charles Dermand and Polly Wright, Elizabeth Mary (Dermand) and Rick Alt and Emily Anne Dermand. His Grandchildren –Jayne (Dermand) Oswald, Nick Dermand, Stacy (Alt) Decker, Jessie (Alt) Bremer, Reid Alt, Maddie Alt, Allie Alt, Bailey Alt, Ashley (Wilde) Pfleger, and Christopher Wilde. And he was blessed with 14 great grandchildren and two on the way.

We also wanted to mention some special nieces and nephews – Tim and Rhonda Mechaelsen, Amy (Mechaelsen) and Roger Ratcliff, David and Tammy Mechaelsen, Nick Dermand, John Dermand and Susan (Dermand) Wiedem.

The family would like to mention and say a special Thank You to the care givers at Southfield and St. Croix Hospice who cared for Dad as if he were their own. They truly did an amazing and professional job taking care of both Mom and Dad in their final seasons of life.

Dad loved his family. While his eyesight was still good, he always had a movie camera or regular camera in his hands to capture the family moments and gatherings. Dad was the glue that held our family together. He will be greatly missed – every day.

Dad loved Webster City and the community where he believed in giving back. He served on the city council, served two terms as mayor, was in the American Legion for 77 years, helped with hospice by sitting with patients, feeding patients, reading to them and helping them in any way he could. Dad and Mom were founding members of the Episcopal Church in Webster City. Dad served on the church board multiple times. They both worked the Church’s bizarre, soup suppers, lamb dinners, etc. They donated a lot of their time serving the church and the church community.

Dad never met a stranger. Wherever we went he would come away with a friend or two. The new friend was “related to so and so” that he knew from Dermand’s Cafe, council work or mowing for the city.

Working in Dermand’s Cafe was a great opportunity for dad to catch up and talk politics, whether local, state or national he loved catching up with friends. When the restaurant was sold, he counted on another group for information and I’m sure he would want us to mention them – his morning coffee group at Hy-Vee. He was a long-time member of the group and went every morning. Even after losing his sight, one of the members would pick him up. When that was no longer an option, Southfield had a driver take him a couple times a week. The group was that important to him.

Gus’ family, friends and the community of Webster City will miss him very much.