Alice Demel Obituary

Former Durango resident Alice Marie Demel died Monday, Sept. 9, 2013, in Lakewood. She was 93.

Mrs. Demel was born to Cornell and Andrea Newman on July 28, 1920, in Mason City, Neb. She was one of three daughters.

Mrs. Demel was involved in education for about 58 of her 93 years. She attended elementary and high school in Mason City, graduating as valedictorian of her class. She was awarded a scholarship to Kearney State Teachers College (now known as the University of Nebraska at Kearney.)

After graduation, Mrs. Demel taught school for eight years in Wyoming and Nebraska and substitute taught for 15 years in Durango School District 9-R. She finished her career as secretary at Needham Elementary School for 20 years.

Her experiences in teaching were varied, according to her family. Her first school was one room on the plains of Wyoming with seven pupils in five grades. Another included a city school with a room of 65 first-graders.

When she was at Needham, the enrollment averaged 600 students per year.

"She prided herself on learning the name of each child," according to her family. "She always felt it a privilege to get to know so many wonderful children and their families. One of Alice's joys has been when adults, who had been in school or youth groups, would see her on the street and say, 'Hi, Mrs. Demel. Do you remember me?' Many have kept her informed of their family life and reminisced about things that had happened when they had been in one of her groups."

On July 2, 1950, she married Clyde Demel in Denver. On the Fourth of July, they landed in Durango.

In 2010, Mrs. Demel moved to Lakewood to be near her niece Sally Walker and other family members. She lived in the Lakewood Meridian Retirement Community until her death.

"Wherever she was, she was active in her church," according to her family. Mrs. Demel joined First Baptist Church soon after coming to Durango. The Demels sponsored several youth groups, including ages from fourth grade through college. Among her activities in the past 50 years were missionary groups, singing in the choir, playing the organ for services for 10 years and being church clerk for 12.

After her retirement, Mrs. Demel participated in the Mercy Medical Auxiliary, the Durango/La Plata Senior Center and in a small coffee group called the Fan Club. One of her hobbies was sending greeting cards for all special occasions.

"By doing so, she kept in touch with family as well as many of her childhood friends, including some she had known since second grade," according to her family.

Mrs. Demel was preceded in death by her husband of more than 40 years, Clyde Demel.

No immediate family survives. She is survived by two nieces and one nephew; numerous great-nieces and nephews; and extended family members.

A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13, 2013, at the First Baptist Church of Durango, 332 E. 11th St. Burial will take place at Greenmount Cemetery after the service.