HILLSBORO, NH:  Leo Fred Demag, Jr. died on August 19, 2023.  A graveside service will be held on Saturday, October 7 at 11 am at the Maple Avenue Cemetery in Hillsboro, NH with a gathering after at the American Legion #59 in Hillsboro, NH.

Leo was the middle child and only son of Leo Fred Demag and Gladys Irene Whitney.  He was a sibling of the late Jean Evelyn Demag Merrill and Irene Melvina Demag Wells. Leo was born in Hillsboro NH, across the street from the former Leo's Groceries on Henniker Street.  He was born on December 18,1 939 at 12:15 am, on a Monday morning.

Leo attended the Hillsboro Grammar School on School Street, and Hillsboro Junior and Senior High further up the street.  He enjoyed sports especially basketball.  The then high school principal held Saturday morning basketball classes and workouts which encouraged him to become a first-string player in high school.  After entering the University of New Hampshire in 1957, he became the manager of the college basketball team.

He pursued the field of accounting and graduated from the then two year accounting program offered by the New Hampshire College of Accounting and Commerce which eventually became Southern New Hampshire University.  He worked for several years at M.K.M. Knitting Mills in Manchester as a stocker, shipping clerk, and cost accountant before continuing his education at Plymouth Teachers College ,which became Plymouth State College.

Upon graduation in 1964, he taught business subjects for the Monadnock Regional High School in Swanzy Center, NH, left to work for various CPA firms, and in 1968 became the Accountant/Office Manager of NH Motor Sales, Inc, owned by Americo Novo, in Concord ,NH.  He then worked as Accountant/Office Manager for Ferns Oil Company, Inc, in Concord NH, owned and operated by William Ferns, Jr. and his brother Robert from 1972 to 1976.

Leo trained and became owner of Demag's Draperies and Fabrics, offering interior decorating sales and installation of custom-made draperies and providing upholstery services.  He sold this business in 1983 but continued being self-employed as an accountant and computer program consultant/trainer.  He became certified as a QuickBooks Professional Advisor and he added income tax preparations to his services.  He was recommended by several local Certified Public Accountants to their clients for internal auditing and training.  This remained his business until he sold it and retired in 2008.

From 1981 to 1983 Leo was the Grand Master of Eureka Lodge #70 F & AM in Concord, NH.

In 1963, Leo married Nancy Ann Richardson from Buffalo, NY who he met in college.  They had two daughters, Pamela Jean in 1966 and Donna Lynn in 1968.  There were no biological grandchildren, but he filled the position of great-grandfather to Emma-Rose Farrell in Contoocook, NH and the position of grandfather to Macartney Walker, in Clinton, TN, and step-father-in-law to Billie Walker in Clinton, TN.

There are numerous dogs and cats with which he shared his love.

Leo married Jo Anne Benedict Walker Demag on April 24, 2008 and has resided in both Clinton, TN and Lake Wales, FL, spending about a half year in each location.

He had an affinity for the Hillsboro Methodist Church that his mother, Gladys attended When he worked in the Concord area  he became a member of Wesley United Methodist Church on Clinton Street. Dr. John McKelvey was the pastor at the time and Leo enjoyed his friendship, intelligence and direction. Leo participated on the Evangelical Board,  as Vice-President and President of the Men's Club, assisted in dinner preparation and clean-up and served on a regular rotation of ushers.  After appearing a decade later in the Concord Community Players preparations of Brigadoon and the Music Man he was recruited into the Wesley United Methodist Church Sanctuary Choir where, over the years, he not only sang in the choir for two services every Sunday, performed dozens of solo and wrote several anthems for the choir. In particular, the WUMC Sanctuary Choir sang for services, "Love Makes Us Strong" and for the Southern District Conference Meeting, "God Wants Us to Talk to Him."

Leo had a joyous spirit, singing joyfully and composing music and playing guitar.  He especially enjoyed playing cards, riding his recumbent tricycle, walking and visiting with family, friends and neighbors. Leo loved serving the Lord with gladness, singing in choirs and giving to numerous charitable organizations.  He also served as treasurer of the Wesley United Methodist Church, Concord, NH and served 13 years as auditor for Babson Park Community Church, Babson Park, Florida. 

Leo was able to enjoy traveling in his later years, where he made life-long friends around the world.  Leo's love for his daughters, family and friends could be felt without words.  He will be missed by all.

Leo was preceded in death by his is maternal grandparents, Arthur Martin Whitney and Melvina St. John Whitney of Hillsboro, NH,  paternal grandparents, Frank Demag and Mary Doyle Demag of Essex Junction, VT, his parents, Leo Fred Demag (1977) and Gladys Irene Whitney Demag (1986), elder sister, Jean Evelyn Demag Merrill (2004), stepson, Clark Walker (2015), brother-in-law, Wesley H. Wells (2020) and son-in-law, David Christopher Shaw (2022).

He was also preceded by close uncles and aunts, Bernard and Alice Demag of Winooski, VT, Alva and Marjorie (Demag) Henderson of St. Johnsbury, VT, Arthur Martin Whitney, Jr. and Bernice (Bumford) Whitney and Doris Whitney of Hillsboro, NH.

Leo is survived by his wife, Jo Anne Benedict Walker Demag of TN, his ex-wife, Nancy Ann Richardson of NH, his two children, Pamela Jean Demag and Donna Lynn Shaw, both of NH. his sister, Irene Melvina Demag Wells, brother-in-law, Willis Richardson Merrill, Jr., sister-in-law, Joan Richardson Labriola (Frank), nephews, Willis Richardson Merrill III (Kathy), David Alexander Merrill, and nieces, Susan Marie Merrill Paul (Frank), Daphne Ann Wells, Nancy Mohrman (Lorenzo), Kathleen Mohrman Markisello (Robert). Cousins, David Demag, Richard Whitney, and Kathleen Lemire.  

Leo is also survived by his accepted grandchildren Emma-Rose Farrell, Macartney Walker, Harrison and Lennon Parker, his stepdaughters, Stacy Morris and Billie (Walker) Cusatis and nieces, Melinda "Missy" White and Jennifer White Riddle.

A Memorial Service was held at Kern's Memorial United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge, TN on September 17.

Leo will be cremated, returned from Tennessee and interred in Maple Ave Cemetery in Hillsborough NH near his father's and mother's graves.

The Holt-Woodbury Funeral Home & Cremation Service is assisting the family