Jeffrey R. DeMay

Jeffrey Ronald (Richard) DeMay departed this world and entered eternal rest at 10:50 am on December 24, 2025, in Serenity Home and Hospice, Oregon, IL. He was surrounded in love by his family at the time of his passing.

Born February 6, 1962, in Hammond-Henry Hospital, Geneseo, Jeff was the son of Raymond and Sue (Simkins) DeMay. Suffering from rheumatic fever in fifth grade, he graduated from Atkinson High School in 1980 and attended Colorado Technical University. He married Marilyn Edmund on December 6, 1986, and together, they are parents to one daughter, Elizabeth Dean of rural Geneseo; and one son, Payton DeMay of Youngsville, NC. Jeff and Marilyn made their home in Milan, IL, in the early years of their marriage, and then moved to Geneseo when they started their family.

Working alongside his father as a ‘mechanic-in-training’ at DeMay’s Service Station in Atkinson, Jeff later worked at Johnston Lumber Company, Annawan; Alexander Lumber, Geneseo; Maplewood Construction (which Jeff personally owned and operated), Geneseo; Dick’n Sons Lumber, Bluegrass, IA; and Anchor Lumber, Silvis. He began working as a lumber sales manager at Anchor Lumber in 2022 and retired in December due to his most recent hospitalizations and profound medical complexities of only the past few weeks.

Jeff spent more than 45 years helping others build their own homes, apartment complexes, and small, local to large, industrial businesses, in addition to donating his drafting and building expertise for those in need.

Jeff - who fondly serves his church, Kingswood Global Methodist - in missions, evangelism, as a building trustee, former council member, Thursday morning Men’s Breakfast Club member, and longtime Sunday School teacher, most recently added the title of Director of Student Ministries to his resume, a position he accepted as his most important “fourth quarter” work - mentoring the youth of this community and guiding them to Jesus.

Jeff was an Assistant Boy Scout Leader for Troop #131, of which his son achieved Eagle Scout status with the completion of his Florence Love Memorial Garden Project, located on Richmond Hill, next to the new pavilion.

Jeff was also named Geneseo Chamber of Commerce “Business Person of the Year” in 2001 and was intensively involved as a Junior Achievement Leader for many years.

Upon dissolution of his previous union, Jeff married Stephanie (Peterson) Cartwright on September 30, 2017. Having met one another on a match.com-inspired blind date at Lionstone, Geneseo, she and Jeff have been inseparable and spent their time together blending and loving their new extended family, vacationing, building a home together, connecting with friends, community, and congregation, and loving each other and God every fleeting moment of which they were blessed.

In addition to his wife, survivors include one daughter, Elizabeth (Adam) Dean of Geneseo;  one son, Payton (Veronique) DeMay of Youngsville, NC; two stepsons, Brandon (Amelia) Cartwright of Walnut, IL, and Chase (Sarah) Cartwright of Wauwatosa, WI; one sister, Lynette (Mike) Wignall of Cambridge; one brother, Troy (Loretta Burris) DeMay of Davenport, IA; one sister-in-law, Amanda (Mark) Varland of Marseilles, IL; one brother-in-law, Stephen (Amy) Peterson of rural Wyanet; one nephew and Godchild, Beau (Tori) Neece of Oakland, MD; one niece, Stormie Wancket of Atkinson; two grandchildren, Axel and Aura Cartwright of Walnut, IL; close friends, Wayne and Theresa Peterson of Geneseo and Paul Flynn of Winchester, VA; and several much-loved aunts, uncles, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his great-grandparents; grandparents; his parents; one sister, Lorie, in childbirth; one brother, Todd DeMay; and his mother-in-law and father-in-law, Joe and Patricia Peterson.

The Reverend Dr. Christopher Ritter will officiate at services slated for Tuesday, December 30, beginning at 5 pm at Kingswood Church, 302 N. State Street, Geneseo. There will be no visitation, but a meal will be served immediately following the service. At this time, there will be opportunities for all interested to provide their remembrances and converse with the family. A Celebration of Life event, including an Alaskan fish fry, will be held in Jeff’s memory in June of this year.

Memorials may be made to Kingswood Church, Geneseo; the Geneseo High School Career and Technical Education Center; Serenity Home and Hospice Center; or to the donor’s choosing.