Mr. Albert Nelson DeMers

He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert Penzel DeMers and Mary Elizabeth Whitington Koegler.

He is survivied by his wife of 56 years, Velba Orene DeMers, his daughter, Tona M. DeMers, of Benton, AR, his grandchildren, Jason M. Gorecke (Amber) of Cabot, AR, and Rebecca Bell (David) of Mabelvale, AR, his four great granddaughters, Hailey Gorecke, Lauren Gorecke, Ami Bell, and Scarlett Bell, a sister, Toni DeMers Olden of Mt. Home, AR, a stepdaughter, Debra Whitticar, of Benton, AR, and a host of cousins near and dear to him.

He was a machinist by trade but his first love was the Art of Judo. He began his Judo career in 1955 at the Little Rock Air Force Base, which was the only place anyone could take Judo at that time. At his death, he was one of the highest ranking Judo masters in the United States at 7th Dan (there are only 10) which is called shichidan. At one time, he and Vladimir Putin were both 6th Dan or rokudan. He traveled to the Kodokan in Japan twice, once while Putin was there.

He started his first Judo school at the YMCA on Broadway in Little Rock, Arkansas. In the 1970s, he began teaching Judo, Aikido, and other martial arts at UALR. He taught there for 40 years. He created the UALR Judo Club and took them to tournaments where they had enjoyed success.

The service will be at Griffin Leggett Healy & Roth at 5800 W. 12th Street, Little Rock, AR, 72204, on Friday, March 16, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Friday March 16, 2018. Interment will be at Roselawn Memorial Park on Roosevelt Road in Little Rock, Arkansas, immediately following the service. Albert was an avid animal lover. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Saline County Humane Society.