Dorothy Demaree

Dorothy "Dottie" Louise Crain Demaree, age 85, of Madison, passed away on Thursday, December 7, 2017 at the River Terrace Health Campus in Madison. Dottie was born February 28, 1932 in Kokomo, Indiana, the daughter of Chester and Virginia (Francis) Crain. She grew up in Anderson, Indiana, although her family moved to California for a short time during her childhood. She was a 1950 graduate of Anderson High School and attended Hanover College. A significant moment in Dottie's life occurred when she made a trip to Madison with her good friend, Joyce Kennedy, to offer support after the Madison Cubs played in the basketball state finals. They arrived in front of First Baptist Church of Madison, and that's where Dottie met her future husband, C. Richard "Dick" Demaree. They were married October 9, 1952 by Reverend Ralph Gronseth at First Baptist Church, a marriage that lasted 57 years until Dick's death on November 6, 2009. Early in their marriage, Dottie wrote commercials for KMAN radio in Manhattan, Kansas, while Dick was stationed with the U.S. Army at Fort Riley. They also lived in Chicago and Indianapolis until settling down in Madison. Dottie was a member of the First Baptist Church, teaching Sunday School for 40 years and serving many years in the church library. In recent years she attended worship services at Hanover Baptist Church with her son, Matt. She was a 50-year member of the Just Us Circle of the King's Daughters'. Also, she was a member of the Centralian Homemakers Club and formerly volunteered as a Pink Lady, working in the gift shop of the King's Daughters' Hospital. Dottie was a devoted mother and was actively involved in supporting her children in their activities, including service both as a leader for the Cub Scouts and the Girls Scouts. She also cared individually for several children in her home. She will be missed by her children, Matt Demaree of Madison, Bob Demaree of Indianapolis, and Ann Sutlive and her husband, Vins, of Wilmore, Kentucky; her brother, Richard Crain of Anderson; grandchildren, Joseph Sutlive of Roanoke, Virginia, and Joshua Sutlive of Wilmore, Kentucky; and several cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father on March 8, 1994; her mother on December 4, 2006; her husband on November 6, 2009, and one sister, Shirley Kellogg on November 8, 2008. The Reverend J.D. Traylor will conduct funeral services at 1:00 PM Tuesday, December 12, 2017 at the Lytle Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, Vail Chapel, 117 Holt Drive, Madison, with interment to follow in Hebron Cemetery. Friends and family may call at the funeral home from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Monday, December 11, 2017, and from 12:00 to 1:00 PM Tuesday. The family requests memorial contributions be made to the Our Hospice of Jennings County, the Madison First Baptist Church Stained Glass Windows Fund, or the Hanover Baptist Church Building Fund. Contributions may be made at any of the Lytle Funeral Homes & Cremation Service locations.