Mark Anthony Demas, age 61, a resident of Coffeyville, Kansas, passed away Wednesday, January 6, 2021, at his home in Coffeyville. He was born March 25, 1959, in Ft. Scott, Kansas, the son of Charles Stewart Parnell Demas and Faye Janice Smiley Demas. Mark’s father died at a young age, and he was raised by his mother and step-father, Raymond Cowan. Mark married Diann Erie on March 31, 1978, in Ft. Scott. Mark graduated from Ft. Scott High School and Ft. Scott Community College and later completed his pastoral training at St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri.
He pastored churches in Hamilton, Virgil and Neal, Kansas as well as Columbus and Erie, Kansas. He was currently serving as pastor of the First United Methodist Church in Coffeyville. Mark loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren. He also enjoyed riding and working on motorcycles.
Survivors include his wife, Diann, of the home; and his three children, Sarah Lopez(Fernando), of Pittsburg, Kansas, Kyle Demas, of Pleasanton, Kansas and Trenton Demas, also of Pittsburg and four grandchildren, Isabella, Marco and Miguel Lopez and Emma Demas and his beloved dogs, Abbie and Gracie. Also surviving are four brothers, George Demas, of Jackson, Kentucky, Charles Speer(Marian), of Carl Junction, Missouri, John Speer(Pam), of Redfield, Kansas and Glenn Demas (Cecilia), of Joplin, Missouri and his mother-in-law, Edna Erie, of Ft. Scott. Mark was preceded in death by a son, Isaac Demas, his parents, a brother, Jim Speer and his father-in-law, Mike Erie.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 P.M. Tuesday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. A private family memorial service with burial in the Oak Grove Cemetery will take place at a later date. Memorials are suggested to Juvenile Diabetes Research Funding and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook atcheneywitt.com.
