Memorial through the streets of Malta to honor Delmar Demarais set for this Friday

On Friday, June 20, a memorial ceremony for the late Delmar Demarais will take to the streets of Malta and one of his daughters, Debbie, is hoping for some assistance in making the day a special one.

The memorial will start at Delmar's old house at 21 South 4th Ave West. at 4 p. m. and continue to the Malta Cemetery.   Everyone is encouraged to join on horseback or by any means of transportation from his house.

"When I was a little kid, J.J. Smith used to run his cattle through town," Debbie said. "We would sit on the porch and watch the horses, bulls or whatever he had go down the street. That was a huge part of my life and my Dad's life."

Debbie is looking for a black and white Paint Horse to lead the procession as it was one of his favorite animals. Her idea is to have the paint travel rider less, with Delmar's saddle atop the horse, Delmar's boot placed backwards and his cowboy hat on the saddle horn.

"I think if some other people could ride behind the paint it would be a great way to honor my Dad," she said.

Debbie said that one of Delmar's favorite activities was to raise Paint Horses. She said that he was the epitome of a cowboy, a great calf-roper and loved the rodeo. Debbie said that Delmar was one of many people who put forth efforts to restore the rodeo arena at Trafton Park because of his love of rode and children.

"His biggest dream was to rebuild that rodeo arena," she said. "He wanted something for the kids to do to keep them out of trouble. I took him down there last year and he just and watched the kids and just glowed."

Delmar passed away on Christmas day of last year.

Delmar worked at on various area ranches until moving the family to Malta. After moving to town, Delmar got hired as a custodian at Malta school and eventually became head custodian, a position he held for 30 years before retiring. Debbie said that she lost count on how many people have come up to her since Delmar's passing and said that they remember "having a Coke" with her father in the school's boiler room.

"Dad would have a Coke with them and talk them out of quitting school," Debbie said, adding that Delmar was always willing to listen to student's problems and give them advice. He did do many things at that school and one of them was being an unofficial councilor."

Delmar, a member of the Pembina Band of Turtle Mountain Chippewa, was also the first Native American to be on the Malta City Council.

 There will be an old fashioned no host pot luck in Trafton Park after the cemetery ceremony. People are asked to bring their own plates, utensils and drinks and your best pot luck dish.  No alcohol please.  Photos of Delmar and family and stories are encouraged at the potluck. 

If anyone knows of a horse that Debbie can use during the memorial, or any other ideas for the ceremony, Debbie will be making her way from her home in Ronan to Malta later this week and can be contacted on Facebook.