Peter DeMarc Sr

Peter DeMarc (given as Peter Anthony DeMarc at times) was born in the small town of West Pittsburg, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania , on Friday, September 8, 1916. He was the sixth child born to Charles DeMarc and Mary (DeMatteo) DeMarc, both of whom immigrated to the United States in the early 1900’s from southern Italy.

Pete, who spoke both English and Italian, grew up in West Pittsburg and attended the West Pittsburg Public School. During the 1922-1923 school year was in the first grade and had Majorie Galbreath as his teacher. Among his classmates was his sister Julia and George Braykovich, Ralph Santangelo, and Catherine Caravella. Three years later Pete was in the third grade and had Agnes McClelland as his teacher. Pete graduated from the eighth grade in June 1930, and did not attend high school.

Pete met and started dating a girl from nearby Chewton named Mary Louise Sbarra. She was born in Italy and had immigrated to western Pennsylvania with her family when she was a young girl. Her family owned the Chewton Dairy located at the foot of the Wampum Bridge in Lower Chewton. I believe they met while she played on a girls softball team (with her sisters Esther and Josephine) in Chewton and Pete helped coached the squad. Mary attended Lincoln High School in Ellwood City and graduated in about 1936.

Pete’s older sister Josephine had married to Anthony “Tony” Marinelli in the late 1920’s, moved to Detroit, Michigan, and started her own family. Pete and Mary moved out there in about 1939 - possibly eloping - and lived with the Marinelli’s on French Road. They were married about this time but exactly when and where is not known. Pete’s brothers Lou, George, and Mike also made their way out to Detroit. Tony Marinelli worked for the Ford Motor Company - most likely at the Highland Park plant - and was able to get them all hired there as well.

American neutrality was ended on December 7, 1941, when Japanese forces attacked the American naval and air fortress at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Pete remained working as an auto mechanic in the vital war industry factories while his brothers Lou, Mike, George, and Charlie would all be called upon to serve their country. Unfortunately, Lou was killed in action in southern France in August 1944.

I believe Pete and Mary moved a few times before they soon started a family of their own. Their first son, Peter Anthony Jr., was born in October 1943. A few years later, in 1947, Pete had a house built at 12025 Elmdale Street in Detroit and they would live there the rest of their lives. Two more sons, David Alan and Donald Earl, were born in September 1948 and June 1950 respectively.

Pete continued working as an auto mechanic at various garages until he opened his own service garage in 1957. It was located at 9550 Connor Avenue and called Connor Elmdale Service. It was co-located with the Speedway - and later Marathon – gas station.

He was self-employed at this location for many years and one of his biggest customers was the Checker Cab Company located down the street. Pete was an auto mechanic whiz and in his spare time he enjoyed hunting, fishing, and gardening with his wife.

Pete’s kids grew up while attending Macomb Elementary School, Goodale Middle School, and Denby High School. Oldest son Pete Jr. was married to the former Linda Lou Morisette in late 1962 and had two kids, Cindi Lou, born in January 1962, and Sandy Lynn, born in December 1965. Pete Jr. and his wife Linda experienced some marital issues and were divorced in 1967. Pete and his two girls moved back in with his parents in Elmdale Street. Eventually Pete Jr. moved out and the girls stayed and were raised by Pete and Mary. They were extremely proud to be able to provide for their grandchildren (which they raised as their own children) and gave the two girls a Catholic upbringing. Years later, Cindi graduated from Servite High School in 1981 and Sandy graduated from Bishop Gallagher High School in 1984.

Pete was diagnosed with the early stages of Alzheimer’s Disease in 1973 when he was only fifty-seven years old. He increasingly had trouble with his memory and motor skills and retired from his garage in about 1978. His condition quickly worsened and he soon lost his memory and his ability to communicate. By 1980 he could no longer walk and was bedridden. His wife Mary did not believe in putting Pete in a nursing home and was constantly by his side. She was an absolute saint and took good care of him and the girls. Pete’s sister Rose (DeMarc) Fratini wrote a letter to her sister-in-law Irene (LaPatka) DeMarc in September 1982 and said, “Pete is very sick and does not know anybody. Mary has had a heavy cross to bear for about seven years now. She deserves a medal.”

Mary even took over a daily newspaper route delivering the Detroit News. Mary loved to walk the route (covering six city blocks) and grew to befriend many of her customers. This route, originally started by her granddaughter Cindi in 1974, was family affair as over the years all children and grandchildren helped out.

Pete’s health continued to deteriorate. He developed pneumonia and passed away at home at 6:00am on Friday, April 12, 1985. He was sixty-eight years old. All of his dear family members were by his bedside when he died. A viewing was held at the Frank J. Calcaterra Funeral Home in Detroit. After a funeral service at the St. Ignatius Catholic Church, he was laid to rest in the mausoleum at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township, Michigan.

Mary was saddened by Pete’s death but found comfort in her own life. She saw both of the granddaughters she raised grow to adulthood. Mary even helped her son Pete Jr. walk Cindi down the aisle when she was married in October 1990. Mary learned she had pancreatic cancer in about May 1992 and was told she only had a few months to live. She persevered and continued to deliver her newspapers. Mary delivered her last papers on Thanksgiving Day 1994. The next day she was checked into the Bi-County Hospital in Warren, Michigan. Her condition grew worse and she succumbed to her cancer at 2:30am on Tuesday, January 11, 1994. Her children and grandchildren were by her side. She was laid to rest next to her dear husband in Resurrection Cemetery on January 14, 1994.