Norwich, VT – Daniel D DeMars, 67, of Norwich, VT, died on February 27, 2026 in his home after a short illness. He was born on November 26, 1958, in Herkimer, NY to Robert and Evelyn (Rathbun) DeMars.
Dan was a 1972 graduate (one of “The Dirty Dozen”) of St Francis de Sales School and a member of the Bicentennial Class of 1976 of Herkimer (NY) High School. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Siena College (NY), his Master of Science degree in Pathology from the Graduate College of the University of Vermont, and his MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He married Leslie Robbins on September 16, 1989, in South Portland, ME. They lived in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC during Leslie’s OB-GYN residency and fellowship before settling in Norwich, VT in 1997.
In addition to his wife, Dan leaves his two beloved sons, Robbinson and Ellis; his mother and father predeceased him in 1992 and 2017, respectively. Other survivors include his sister Donna of Herkimer, NY, a half-brother Richard Clemons Jr of Chicago, IL, and other extended family members and friends.
Dan spent most of his professional life directing biomedical product development. In 2000, he founded The Viridis Group, a biomedical R&D consultancy, working with researchers at academic medical centers and biotechnology companies. After serving on the Board of Trustees at Cardigan Mountain School from 2008-13, Dan happily shifted his career path, launching Secondariae, a management consulting firm serving Headmasters and Boards of Trustees at New England independent secondary schools.
Dan loved to teach. Since 2009, Dan taught a class in intellectual property at Cardigan Mountain School. For years, he taught a popular course on the history of US manned spaceflight at Dartmouth College’s Osher Institute and at Berkshire School in MA, and, since 2023, he tutored students in the physical sciences at Kimball Union Academy in NH. Dan’s other civic duties included terms on the Boards of Trustees at the Norwich Public Library and the Montshire Museum of Science.
An avid sports fan, Dan coached hockey, lacrosse, and baseball in Norwich for many years, and as a long-time season ticket holder with the Dartmouth College men’s and women’s hockey teams, he was an active member of Friends of Dartmouth Hockey. Camping in the Green Mountains of VT and the Adirondacks of NY with his two sons when they were younger allowed the boys to appreciate the outdoors as much as he did. Dan and Leslie spent many summer weekends at Fenway Park rooting for their Red Sox, often enjoying a postgame beer at The Corner Tavern. Downhill skiing and golfing were passions, including trips to The Masters with three college friends in 2022 and 2023.
Dan was a gifted musician with a natural ear, adept at guitar, bass, mandolin, ukulele, keyboards, and drums. His love of music and product design led him to start DeMars Guitars in 2005, a venture that continues to design, develop, and manufacture innovative guitars and basses. His guitars and basses have been owned and played by many notable musicians.
Dan was insatiably curious and a self-confessed tinkerer. He had a lifelong fascination with the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan converted a small closet in his office to a full-size model of the Apollo Lunar Module, while a full-size replica of the Apollo Command Module instrument panel was mounted on an angled wall above his office desk.
There will be no calling hours or traditional religious funeral services. Dan was contentedly agnostic, yet he would not discourage anyone from offering prayers. Burial will be private, and a celebration of life is planned for a later date. If you’d like to share your favorite story/memory of Dan, feel free to email DDD.memorial.22@gmail.com. The Rand-Wilson Funeral Home of Hanover, NH is assisting the family with preparations.
Donations in Dan’s memory may be made to The Dartmouth Cancer Center, and/or The Osher Institute at Dartmouth College, and/or Friends of Dartmouth Hockey.
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