Dr. Neil Clements Demaree, USN (Ret.)

Captain Dr. Neil Clements Demaree, USN (Ret) passed away on January 19, 2017. He was the former Commanding Officer of the Charleston Naval Regional Dental Center. The family will receive friends Tuesday in J. HENRY STUHR, INC., WEST ASHLEY CHAPEL, 3360 Glenn McConnell Parkway from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. His Funeral Service will be held Wednesday January 25, 2017 in St. Andrews Parish United Methodist Church, 3225 Ashley River Road at 10:00 a.m. Interment with Full Military Honors will follow in Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC at 2:00 p.m.

Captain Demaree was born on August 21, 1924 in Shelby County Kentucky to Clifton Clements and Leola Frazier Demaree, the oldest of six children. Neil was a graduate of Pleasureville, Kentucky high school, Murray State College and the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. He later received a Master's Degree in Dental Materials from Georgetown University.

A veteran of World War II, Captain Demaree entered the Navy Reserves while in college. Upon completing dental school, he entered the US Navy Dental Corps where he served 24 years, serving as the Commanding Officer both at the dental clinic in Guantanamo Bay Cuba and the Naval Regional Dental Center in Charleston.After retirement from the Navy, Neil enrolled in the horticultural and landscape program at Trident Tech. He took great pride in the landscaping of his Charleston home as well as his vacation home in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. Neil is a former member of Grace UMC where he served as Finance Chairman and he also served on the Administrative Board for many years. He was a member of St. Andrews Parish UMC and was selected 2016 Man of the Year by St. Andrews Parish UMC Men's Club.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years Ann Crisp Demaree and his four children, Rebecca Scully (Frank), Neil David Demaree (Martha), James Dwight Demaree (Susan) and Susan Hughes (Tony), seven grandchildren and two great grandsons. Captain Demaree was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Clifton C. Demaree, Jr., his four sisters Dorothy Owsley, Madeline Chaney, Betty Moore and Patricia Roberts.

In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to St. Andrews Parish United Methodist Church, 3225 Ashley River Road. Charleston SC 29414 or to the SC Chapter Alzheimer's Association, 4124 Clemson Blvd Suite L. Anderson SC 29621-1186.

The family wishes to thank Lutheran Hospice and Kelly Carleton and the entire staff of Ashley Gardens for their exceptional care, kindness and love they extended to Neil and the entire family during his illness.