Kenneth Grant Demas

January 29, 1928 - January 12, 2019

Kenneth Grant Demas - KEN, Mr. D, Mr. Ken - was born January 29, 1928 to Andrew Harry Drimouras and Irene Leona Olsen.  Ken's childhood memories are happy ones spent with his mother, father and older brother, Harry Andrew, on their beautiful farm, the "Sandy Homestead" as it was affectionately referred to.  They farmed mostly onions and Ken was always very busy with chores on the farm and spending time with his large extended Greek family. He and his best friend throughout his whole life, "Cousin John", were always together. 

Ken spent his early career in the Army serving in Army Intelligence under General MacArthur in Japan.  He did 2 tours in the Army and loved speaking of his experiences as a young man in a foreign country constantly learning and serving the country he loved so well.

 Upon his return he married Gloria Demas and worked with his father-in-law's produce company.  They had 2 children - Michael and Christina - and later divorced.  This was not a happy time in Ken's life and he only spoke of it in the negative.  After the divorce, Ken was a truck driver and loved traveling around Utah. He retired from the trucking company early, and met his true love Patricia Ann Shaw Demas - Patty.  After a long courtship, they married and lived happily in Sandy, Utah until Patty's death in 2003.  They enjoyed travel in their trailer and seeing many sights together and with friends.  Patty made Ken very happy and together they raised Shiatsu dogs which Ken still referred to much later in life.

 If you knew Ken, you knew how proud he was of his Greek heritage.  He always said he looked so young because of all the olive oil flowing through his veins.  It was easy for Ken to learn Greek as a child and he loved to say a few words or phrases here and there just to throw people off.  When Ken wasn't keeping his home pristine, working in his yard until it was perfect or taking a drive in his pickup truck, he and Cousin John could be found every Friday at The Golden Corral for their weekly lunch.  These two friends were together until John's death a few years ago.

 The past 2 years Ken lived at Pheasant Run Alzheimer's Home where he gained many friends who became his family; nurses, nurses aides, care givers and many people from the Latter Day Saint branch that served this home.  These people cared for Ken day in and day out with respect and love.  They took the time to listen to his stories, put up with his never-ending flirting and helped him through the progress of this terrible disease.  During this time, he was re-acquainted with Cousin John's son and daughter-in-law, Nick and Patria Mazanis.  It was nice for Ken to be with some family during the last few months of his life and be able to talk about family pictures and further the genealogy of his family.

 Ken died on January 12 at Pheasant Run.  Ken is survived by his ex-wife, Gloria, his children Michael and Christina and an unknown number of grandchildren and great - grandchildren.  Ken also has good friends who supported him through the last years of his life; Ken and Jan Lougee and family, Scott Mower, Janice Bullock, and Elise Nye and family.  Ken is also survived by Natalie Maughan (and family) who loved Ken dearly and she tried her best to take care of him as he would have wished.

 Ken was greeted in heaven with open arms and a big, Greek reunion and celebration by his parents, his brother, and the 2 people he couldn't wait to see, Patty and Cousin John.