Floyd J Demmy

Floyd (Pop-Pop) Demmy, age 89, of Harrisburg, went to be with his Lord on Friday, May 20, 2016.

Born June 5, 1926 in Harrisburg, he was the son of the late William G. Demmy, Sr., and  Esther E. (Gland) Demmy.  Floyd was also preceded in death by his siblings:  Paul Demmy, William Demmy, Jr., Leola Beers (his twin sister), Russell “Mick” Demmy, Ruth Rohrbach and Martha “Martie” Enterline and his beloved little buddy, his cat, Remy.

He was retired from the Lower Paxton Township Authority, was previously employed at the former Bill Peter’s Service Station on Progress Avenue and had worked for the former Pennsylvania Railroad.  After retiring, he worked part-time in Giant Food Colonial Park store’s deli section.

As a U.S. Army Veteran of World War II, he served on a half-track squad of Company B, of the 54th Armored Infantry Battalion, 10th Armored, Tigers Division. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star, the Europe-Africa-Middle East Medal with 2 bronze stars, WWII Victory Medal and the Combat Infantry Badge.

He was a member of the Harrisburg First Assembly of God Church and was a life member of the usher team.

A Civil War and WWII enthusiast, he was a member of General John F. Hartranft, Camp 15 of the Capital City of Harrisburg Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, the 10th Armored Division (Tigers) Association, and  the Central Pennsylvania World War II Round Table of Hummelstown.  He truly enjoyed visiting World War II reenactments and discussing his army activities with reenactors and the general public attending such events.

He was a lifelong avid gardener, sporting four green thumbs.  “There wasn’t anything that Dad couldn’t grow” according to his son David. Floyd was known in his family as the “story teller”. David edited the many poems, and other stories that Floyd had written for the pleasure of his family, nieces, and nephews. His wife, son, and daughters were the inspiration for several of his poems.  He was the author of “I remember growing up in Harrisburg”, “My Mother, the girl from the country”, “His Eminence, Brother Paul”, and “Recollections of my Army Life during World War II”.

He was the former ‘Choydie Boy’ clown of The King’s Klowns, who performed for church and civic groups in Central Pennsylvania.

His beloved wife, Gertrude E (Jacobs) Demmy, passed away in 2014 after 68 years of marriage.

Surviving are his son David W. Demmy, Sr, (and his wife, Marilyn), Harrisburg;   two daughters, Deborah A. Livingston, (and her husband, Larry), Dauphin and Heidi M. Stanalonis (and her husband, Paul), Mechanicsburg; 5 grandchildren, David Demmy, Jr, Jonathan Demmy, Sara Allison, Carrie Hannon, and Jennifer Demmy; 2 great-grandchildren Aubree Demmy and Brooklyn Hannon and soon to be born, Jameson Demmy; and many nieces and nephews.

Viewing will be from 6:00 pm to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at Kimmel Funeral Home, 2001 Market Street, Harrisburg and Thursday, May 26, 2016 from 10:30 am to 11:30 a.m. at his church, 4100 North Progress Avenue, Harrisburg.  A funeral service will be held Thursday at 12:00 noon at the church with Pastor Terry Lamer officiating.  Burial with military honors will be in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens.

Memorial contributions may be made to his church or the American Heart Association.


I   COULDN'T   SEE   FOR   LOOKING


I traveled in the South
The East, but not the West,
I looked for that one girl
And she had to be the best.


I even sailed upon the water
The biggest ship back then,
I had to stop my quest you see
Till World War Two would end.


Then back home I came
From far across the sea,
Our country now the victor
But I would not be free.


Then standing on my porch one day
And what to my surprise,
There stood the girl I dreamed about
Yes, the one I idolized.

You see I searched the country
Yes and even roamed the town,
Would you believe the girl I sought
She lived just three doors down.

Floyd J. Demmy
September 27, 1989