Matthew John De Mars

May 19, 1981 – November 6, 2025

With hearts full of love and sorrow, we share that on November 6th, 2025, Matthew “Matt” DeMars found peace in the eternal embrace of Jesus. We rejoice in knowing his pain has been erased. Even as we deeply miss him, we cling to the blessed promise of eternal reunion when the trumpet sounds and we are called home together.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Matt was the second of three boys and one of four siblings who grew up inseparable. From the beginning, his daring spirit and clever mind kept everyone laughing—and on their toes. He once dismantled his grandma’s washing machine agitator simply to understand how it worked—prompting a new family rule that one adult must always be assigned to “watch Matt.”

A natural engineer, Matt loved Legos, books filled with answers to big questions, and drafting plans for a toolbench his grandpa proudly built to spec. Throughout his life, he was the go-to person for assembling, fixing, and figuring out anything with instructions—and his bedside reading of choice was “The Feynman Lectures on Physics.”

Active and athletic, Matt swam, skied, played basketball, baseball, soccer and every lake sport available. He later earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and built a successful career in the field, working in both Pennsylvania and Missouri.

Of all his accomplishments, Matt’s greatest pride and deepest joy were his daughters, Eden and Esme. He loved them with intention, patience, and endless devotion.

Matt is survived by his cherished girls Eden (9) and Esme (7); parents, Jerry and Denise DeMars; siblings, Jill (Jeremy) Aker, Jeff (Erika) DeMars, and Dan (Carson) DeMars; nephew and namesake Jacob Matthew Arnett; nieces Abby, Charlotte, Lucy and Allison and great-niece Elliotte Shuler. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Mary DeMars and Enlo and Ruthanna Gaff.

Those who knew Matt will forever remember his gentle and adventurous spirit, his generous heart, his quick and quiet humor, and his brilliant, inquisitive mind.

An informal Celebration of Life will be held at The Baker Street Train Station, 221 Baker St, Fort Wayne, IN from 2 - 5 pm on Saturday, December 13th, 2025. Guests are encouraged to wear Purdue (black and gold) attire or dark blue in Matt’s honor. A private burial will be held at a later date. 

“When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!”

We love you, Matt. We miss you endlessly.

Until Heaven. ♥

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