John DeMary

Obituary of John June DeMary

John June DeMary, 96, well known area grocer, passed away from this life on August 13, 2016. He was born in Monongah, WV on November 15, 1919, to the late G. Pete and Nancy Colarusso DeMary. John graduated from Monongah High School in 1937 where he enjoyed participating in plays and was active in basketball. He attended Fairmont State College until his junior year when he enlisted in the Air Corps the day after Pearl Harbor and served as a Crew Chief airplane mechanic with the 13th Air Force in the Southwest Pacific for four years. John was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with one Bronze Star, the Victory Medal, and the World War II Good Conduct Ribbon. After being discharged in 1946, he and his brothers, Joe, Fred and Leo, operated DeMarys’ Market from where he retired in 1985. John was marred to Helen Louise Martin who preceded him in death in April, 1990. They were the proud parents of two sons: son Michael Alan and his wife Kathy who have three children, Megan Tennant, Michael DeMary and Anthony DeMary; son John Robert who has two children, Adam and his wife Christy DeMary and their children Jonathan and Lily, and Alison DeMary Ferrell and her husband Bill and their daughter Leah. John lived happily in the Highlawns area of Rivesville. He was a member of the Rivesville Lions Club and the Paw Paw Fair Association. He enjoyed his community and friends throughout his entire life. At the age of 87, John graduated from Fairmont State University in 2006 with an Associate Degree of Applied Science. John enjoyed attending Fighting Falcon basketball games with his son Robert and grandson Anthony. He was happiest when fishing and gardening with his son Mike or golfing with his son Robert. He had a passion for building Bluebird houses that started in 1980. He was so proud of his accomplishment of building well over 950 houses that were given in love to family and friends all over the United States and several adorn two beautiful golf courses. On February 14, 1998, John married Regina Sue Hickman Dulin who preceded him in death in April 2016. His family grew to include Sue’s children: daughter Betty and her husband Jack Slike, their son John and his wife Brooke and their sons Mason and Spencer; daughter Susie and her husband Ron Camrud, their son James and his wife Amanda Umber and their daughter Rachel; son John and his wife Betsy Dulin and their sons Jack and Sam; son Ben and his wife Carol Dulin and their daughter Jennifer Dulin, her son Joshua, and their son Thomas and his wife Amanda Dulin and their daughters Hadley and Harper. Also surviving are his brother Fred and his wife MaryJane DeMary, sister-in-law, Ruth DeMary, special cousins Ann and Joe Eates, much loved cousins, nieces and nephews, one being David DeMary who provided much of the wood needed for John’s birdhouses. He leaves behind special friends Sam Koch, Yvonne Liberto, Joe Cavalier and Dave Keener. In addition to his parents and Helen and Regina, John was preceded in death by his brothers Joe and wife Lorraine DeMary , and Leo and wife Margaret DeMary. Memorial donations may be made to the Regenia Sue Dulin DeMary Nursing Scholarship at Fairmont Statue University 1300 Locust Avenue Fairmont, West Virginia 26554. Family and friends may visit the Ford Funeral Home, DeGarmo Chapel, 207 Second Street, Rivesville, WV on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 from 1PM until 9PM and on Wednesday September 7, 2016 from 10AM until 11AM. A Memorial Service will be held in the funeral home on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 11AM with Deacon David Lester officiating. Interment will follow at the WV National Cemetery in Pruntytown, WV. Full military rites will be held at graveside by the Marion County Veterans Council. Online condolences may be made at www.fordfuneralhomes.com.