BIOGRAPHY

Clarabell Demers was born in Acton, Walsh County, North Dakota, USA on 3 November 1910. She was the first of three children born to parents Victor Campbell and Philomina “Minnie” Collette. Her grandparents were from Canada. She grew up in the village of Oakwood. She was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church there before going on to St. John’s in Grafton.

In 1930, she married Frederick Demers. The couple had three children with whom they lived on a farm until 1944. They purchased a building and refurbished it into JR’s Bar, which she ran with her husband until his death in 1979. The bar is operated by Clarabell’s son Donald and grandsons Guy and Gene.

In November 2022, she had 19 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren, and 14 great-great-grandchildren. At the time, she credited four ounces of red wine a day for living a long and healthy life.

Clarabell Demers passed away in Grafton, North Dakota, USA, on 17 January 2024, at the age of 113 years, 75 days.

RECOGNITION

Following the death of 115-year-old Iris Westman on 3 January 2021, Demers became the oldest known living person in North Dakota.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Grafton woman celebrates 110th birthday on Election Day” – Grand Forks Herald, 4 November 2020

* “North Dakota’s oldest resident celebrates 112th birthday” – Inforum, 3 November 2022

GALLERY