We mourn the loss of our Chairman, Del Demaree.

Del passed away Monday, January 2, 2023. Family, friends and colleagues will celebrate a life well lived.

Del Demaree passed away Monday, January 2, 2023 at the age of 85.
 
Del’s enthusiasm was contagious — a trusted leader, an effective communicator, and a fierce competitor. He contributed generously wherever he was, giving his time and talent to countless people and organizations.
 
Friends and colleagues alike may remember how Del’s personality permeated a room,  the twinkle in his eye, his magical whistle, and the ease with which he sang a happy tune. His cheerful disposition and deep dimples made it easy to smile with him. Del always took time to listen and work through whatever issue was at hand.  He was curious, supportive, tenacious, kind and generous. Del was a visionary and knew how to utilize peoples’ strengths in a manner that fostered achievement.  
 
Del was the son of Delmar E. Demaree Sr. and Fern Grindley Demaree and had one brother, William Francis Demaree. Del was born in Chicago, IL and spent his early years in Michigan. His family then moved to Kokomo, IN where Del spent his formative years and developed his love for singing, dancing and performing. 
 
Del’s lifelong career in the floral industry began at an early age. His parents’ company, Demaree Molded Plastics, began behind the family’s grain shed with the company’s first product, the Aquapic, a plastic tube with a rubber cap which held water and kept a single flower stem hydrated. This product ultimately became a staple in the industry and would be used worldwide, notably as the water source for every flower used in creating floats in the annual Rose Bowl parade.          
 
Demaree graduated from Kokomo High School in 1955 and Indiana University in 1963. He married his high school sweetheart, Betsy, in 1957 and started his family of five. In 1967, Del assumed leadership of the family business. Applying values he learned as a young boy, he guided the company through times of uncertainty and financial challenges establishing Syndicate Sales as a leader in the manufacturing and distribution of floral products. 
 
Demaree is credited with seeking creative solutions to supply chain issues — most notably a transportation and distribution system incorporating the use of barcodes to track shipments and later online ordering. But he is perhaps most remembered for growing the company with innovative product lines that had tremendous influence on the industry. His innovations and creativity brought new design trends to floral containers that are used around the world today.
 
Del served as President of the Society of American Florist (1981-83), treasurer of  Wholesale Florists and Florist Suppliers of America and Chairman of the American Floral Endowment (1992-93). He later established the Del Demaree Family Fund and a business internship program through the Endowment. AFE has established a memorial tribute honoring Demaree. He was also inducted into the SAF Hall of Fame and was honored with the following awards: WF&FSA’s Leland T. Kintzele Distinguished Service Award, American Institute of Floral Designers Award of Merit and the Great Lakes Floral Association Tradesman of the Year.
 
In addition to the floral industry, Del’s service to his community was diverse and significant. He served on the Kokomo Mayor’s Advisory Council, the Kokomo Symphonic Board of Trustees, the IUK Board of Advisors and received the IUK Chancellor’s award in 1985. Over the years he also served as president of the Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of Howard County, the Y’s Men and the Howard Country Progress Committee. 
 
In 2013, he was inducted into the Howard County Historical Society Hall of Legends. In 2016, as lead donor in a core group of donors supporting a new Kokomo YMCA facility, the board members honored Del by naming the structure, the Delmar E Demaree Family YMCA. From 2020-22, he served as a board member for the Great American Songbook Foundation and the Center for the Performing Arts Foundation in Carmel, IN. Del was a proud member of the American Business Club in Indianapolis with his son, John, and was honored to hold the designation as the oldest “new” member.  He also served as President of the Lake Maxinkuckee Association and Chairman of the Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Council. And finally, he was a proud member of the “prestigious” DIV’s.
 
Del served countless organizations and treasured time working with others for the greater good of the communities in which he lived. 

Those wishing to make a charitable donation in Del’s honor may consider:

• Kokomo YMCA 
• American Floral Endowment
• Great American Songbook Foundation, Carmel IN
• Lake Maxinkuckee Association, Culver IN

He loved his wife, his family, his grandchildren, IU basketball, Broadway musicals, Hoosier Ribeyes,  Maine Lobster, and time with friends and family in Naples, FL  and Culver IN on Lake Maxinkuckee. 
 
Del is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Libby and her children, Brian Durfey and Heather Ingrando (Garrett) and her 2 grandchildren: Paige Ingrando and Maya Ingrando; and his five children, Trip Demaree, Laura Shinall (Larry), John Demaree (Elizabeth), Anne Chadwick (Bob) and Sarah Clark (David), and his 16 grandchildren: Jack Demaree, Adam Demaree and Sam Demaree; Mac Wilson, Daniel Shinall, Austin Shelly and Michael Shinall; Andrew Demaree, Joe Demaree, Bob Demaree and JW Demaree; Maddy Davis and Miles Chadwick; Kit Moorman, Margaret Clark and John David Clark, 8 great-grandchildren and his sister- in-law Sugar Keedy, and beloved brother-in-law and wife, Bob and Holly Fell.
 
One of Del’s favorite quotes, taken from the film “Yankee Doodle Dandy” which he faithfully watched every Fourth of July, seems appropriate to share at this time. 
“My father thanks you, my mother thanks you, my (brother) thanks you, and I thank you”.  And as his family and friends, we thank him for a lifetime of love.