OBITUARY
Donald M. DeMarte

Perch Base Associate Member and Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame recipient Don DeMarte, departed on Eternal Patrol on November 24, 2021. Our condolences to his next-of-kin Mary Lou and the rest of the family.
Donald M. DeMarte was born in Tidioute, Pennsylvania, on June 23, 1936, and passed on November 24, 2021, at the age of 85.
Don enlisted in the Navy in 1954 and was promptly assigned to the submarine tender USS Bushnell (AS-15) in Key West, Florida. He volunteered for submarines, however, during the pressure chamber test his eardrums were ruptured, so he was not accepted for submarine duty. That didn't stop Don! He continued to repair the diesel boats at the tender and would ride the boats during sea trials. He continued to support the Submarine Service, serving on the staff of Admiral Rickover at Naval Reactors from 1957 to 1961. Don retired from the Navy in 1974 as a Chief Data Processing (DPC) with 20 years of service.
His service to his country and community did not end with his retirement. Donald made it his mission in life to assist veterans, male and female. As a member of American Legion Post 128 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 12031, both located in Anthem, Arizona, Donald dedicated his efforts to several community causes and activities: the Maricopa County StandDown for homeless veterans and the annual Anthem Veterans Day Parade. He was also an advocate for veterans incarcerated in the Phoenix Federal Correctional Institution to assist them with veterans issues. He participated in the Honor Guard which serves at military funerals. Donald’s support of veterans of all services was inspiring.
As stated in the Mission Statement of the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame Society to "preserve and perpetuate the traditions of the American military and all who served in it, to undertake charitable and other projects at the state and local levels and to work with veteran’s organizations in the attainment of AVHOFS objectives, and to promote and to encourage responsible citizenship among all Americans," Don was inducted as a Hall of Fame member in 2014.

Services for Don DeMarte were conducted at the National Cemetery of Arizona on Tuesday January 25, 2022, at 10:00 AM.
Thank you to Don Unser who provided the photos of the service.