Martin Lee "Marte" Demars

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 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.


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