William A. Demerly Sr., 74, Monticello, died Sunday, June 3, in St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lafayette. He had been ill for a year and a half and hospitalized for three weeks.

He was born Aug. 21, 1915, to Jacob and Anna Boes Demerly, in Lafayette. He was married, Aug. 9, 1941, to Ruth K. Juday, in Indianapolis. She survives.

He lived in Fort Myers, Florida, before moving to Monticello, he lived in Monticello for two years. He had a home on Lake Freeman for 25 years and lived in Brookston for five years.

He graduated from Jefferson High School in Lafayette and attended Purdue, where he studied engineering.

He owned and operated a hardware store in Brookston for 13 years and owned Nash Auto Agency in Lafayette for 10 years. He retired in 1980 from Roper Corp. in Lafayette, where he was an engineering design draftsman.

He was a member of the Catholic Church of Resurrection in Fort Myers, Florida, and the Moose Lodge in Monticello

Surviving with his wife are two sons, William A. Jr., Grabill and Joseph, Fort Wayne; one daughter, Deborah Duhnowsky, Star City; five grandchildren; and two sisters, Mary Kelly, New Port Richey, Fla. and Rose Rice, Orland, Fla.  Two brothers are deceased.

The funeral was Wednesday at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Lafayette, the Rev. Mathian Crehan officiating.  Hahn Funeral Home, Lafayette, was in charge of service.

Burial was in St. Bonifice Cemetery in Lafayette.