Martin Lee “Marte” DeMars entered the world September 3, 1953, and left
the world December 12, 2022. He was the fourth child to Hector
“Frenchie” and Marjorie (Downey) DeMars.
The family will receive
friends from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Thursday December 15, 2022, at the
Johnson Funeral Home Chapel. A private inurnment service will take
place December 29, 2022, at St. Mary’s Cemetery and another memorial
service will take place in Glasco, Kansas at a date yet to be
determined.
Marte grew up in Glasco, Kansas where he graduated
from high school in 1971. He then attended the vocational school in
Beloit where he mastered the trades of welding and masonry.
Life
wasn’t always easy for Marte and he had numerous jobs in his earlier
years. He took his last drink and did his last drug on December 29,
1985. The following year he started the Crossroads Narcotics Anonymous
meeting out of his home. It was the first open Narcotics Anonymous
meeting in Junction City and later was moved to the Circle A Club where
it still meets. For several years he organized the “Just for Today Free
Campout” at Milford for recovering addicts and alcoholics. By staying
clean and sober Marte touched the lives of many struggling with the
disease of addiction whether it was listening to someone in need at 2:00
in the morning, driving them to their first meeting, or getting a
person into treatment; he was a driving force in the world of recovery.
He
began working at Central Mechanical Construction Company in January
1992 after placing an ad in the newspaper under “situations wanted.” At
the job interview, the owner asked if he could really do the skills he
listed and Marte replied “yes and more, but I ran out of money for 'ad.' ”
He retired from CMCC in September 2002.
On Oct. 20, 1990, he
married Jeanette Erichsen at St. Xavier Catholic Church. Shortly after
marriage, they made their home near Milford Lake.
Marte enjoyed
riding and rebuilding Harley Davidson motorcycles and at one time, owned
four bikes ranging in age from 1936 to 2003. He collected Harley
Davidson hats with a goal of getting one from every state, as well as
parts, memorabilia and other “treasures.” He liked to brag he had “one
of everything” when it came to tools. He loved building things from old
farm implement parts to include swings, picnic tables, bird baths,
benches, and yard art. He also liked cultivating wildflower patches on
his property and always had a dog nearby or in the truck with him.
He
is survived by his wife, Jeanette; his sister Jill and her husband Lee
Howerton of Manhattan; a sister-in-law, Nancy DeMars of Glasco; sisters
and brothers-in-law: Eileen and Dale Small, Steve and Debby Erichsen,
Rock and Liz Erichsen, and Dennis Erichsen, all of Junction City; nieces
and nephews: Erin Howerton of Wichita, Bill DeMars of Glasco, Stephanie
Baxa of Osborne, Jamie White of Shawnee, Stephanie Edmonson of
McPherson, Kelly Kramer of Junction City, Christian Erichsen of Sumter,
South Carolina; Hailey Herdt of Derby, and Chrissa and Crystal Erichsen,
both of Texas.
He was proceeded in death by his parents; a sister Mary Alice White her husband Jim White; and his brother Jere Max DeMars.
Memorial
donations may be made to the Circle A Club, P.O. Box 3175, Junction
City, Kansas 66441 or St. Mary Catholic Church, located in Glasco.