Dr. Robert A. Demo, 89, Albert Lea

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 18, 2003

The memorial service for Dr. Robert A. Demo, age 89, of 1201 Garfield Ave., will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at St. Theodore Catholic Church. The Rev. Robert Schneider will officiate. A private interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Friends may greet the family one hour prior to services at the church. Military honors will be accorded by the Albert Lea Veterans’ Organizations. Bonnerup Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Dr. Demo died on Saturday, Nov. 15, 2003, at Thorne Crest Retirement Center Health Care Wing.

Dr. Demo was born June 3, 1914, in Blue Earth, the son of Dr. William and Minnie (Silliman) Demo. He spent his childhood in Blue Earth and graduated from Blue Earth High School in 1931. He attended Carlton College and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1934. He went on to study medicine and graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1938.

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Dr. Demo served his internship and residency in obstetrics at Rochester General Hospital in Rochester, N.Y., where he met his bride. Valma Arseneau and Dr. Demo were then married in Rochester, N.Y., on April 19, 1941.

Dr. Demo entered the Army Corp in October 1941. He served in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of operations with the 111th Infantry Regiment and the 96th Infantry Division. Major Demo was Honorably discharged on April 19, 1946. He then returned in Blue Earth, and soon moved his family to Albert Lea, where he began his tenure at Albert Lea Clinic.

During his 36 year career in family medicine, his favorite part was to deliver babies. He recently told us with pride that he had delivered 100 babies a year.

Upon retirement in 1983, Bob and Valma split their time between Leech Lake, Sun City, Ariz., and Albert Lea. He especially enjoyed playing golf. He was an avid reader and liked nothing more than a &uot;good brisk sit.&uot;

He is survived by his wife, Valma; children: Robert and his wife Claudia Demo of Lakeville, Minn., Alice and her husband Kim Hanson of Albert Lea, and John and his wife Aleida Demo of Del Ray Beach, Fla.; eight grandchilren: Stephen (Erica) Demo, Eric (Heidi) Demo, Troy Pappas, H. Alexis (Doug) Friend, Tate Hanson, and Johnny, Joseph and Caroline Demo; nine great-grandchildren; and nephews: Robert and Henry Bent.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Florence Bent; and his brother, Percy Demo.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Theodore Catholic Church.