OBITUARIES:  Michael DEMERS, Rice Lake, Barron Co., WI

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Submitted by:  Kent Robarge <crowbah@comcast.net>  03 August 2007
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Obituary of Michael DeMers in Wed, Feb 24, 1960 Rice Lake Chronotype (Rice Lake, Barron Co., WI)

Michael DeMers, Pioneer Resident, Is Buried Today

  Funeral services for Michael J. DeMers, 83, one of the oldest native born residents of Rice Lake were held this Wednesday morning at St. Joseph's Catholic church and burial followed in the church cemetery.
  Officiating at the requiem mass was the Very Rev. Mark Stier, guardian of St. Anthony's Monastery at Marathon, Wis., assisted by two other priests from the monastery.
  Mr. DeMers, born in rural Rice Lake Sept 19, 1876, died of a heart attack Sunday in the basement of the church shortly after attending a Holy Name society communion breakfast following morning services.
  The son of David and Henrietta DeMers, who homesteaded here, Mr. DeMers worked in logging camps as a youth and later was a carpenter.  He had also been employed by American Excelsior Co. and A.A. Bergeron before retiring.  He had also served as the parish cemetery sexton and janitor.
  When a boy he served on the altar when the original St. Joseph's church was dedicated in the 1880's.
  He was married to Zelfreda Crotteau at Dobie in 1897 and the couple lived in Rice Lake all their married life, except during a 14 year period when they resided in Mosinee, Wis.  The couple noted their golden anniversary in 1947 and Mrs. DeMers died in 1951.
  Surviving are 12 children: Sister M. Rachel, O.S.F. of Waukesah, Wis., Father Raymond, O.F.M. Cap, stationed in Guam, Sister M. Reginald, O.S.F., of Menominee, Mich., Mrs. Cordelia Ryan, Edward and Mrs. Vitalis Stoeberl, all of Rice Lake, Mrs. Delphine Erickson of Ann Arborn, Mich., William of Palo Alto, Calif., Alfred of La Crosse and Gilbert of Minneapolis.  A son, Louis, died in 1951.
  Also surviving are 38 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
  Mr. DeMers was a member of the Holy Name society and the Knights of Columbus.