Linda Hallman Demars

Linda Hallman DeMars, 79, of Columbia, passed away on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at home surrounded by her family. The family will be receiving friends at Temples-Halloran Funeral Home, 5400 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC, 29212, on Friday, September 1, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Riverland Hills Baptist Church, 201 Lake Murray Blvd, Irmo, SC, 29063, on Saturday, September 2, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. The interment will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia, SC, 29229. Honorary pallbearers will be the Friendship Sunday School Class. Born in January 1944, she was the only child of the late Fred Sevell Hallman and Hattie Ridgeway Hallman. A lifelong resident of Columbia, she was a 1962 graduate of Eau Claire High School and went on to earn her degree from Palmer Business College. After graduating, she worked for the SC Highway Department and then worked as a Secretarial Assistant to Deputy Adjutant General Wingard with the SC Army National Guard for many years. She never met a stranger and loved meeting new people. She worked for Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens selling memberships along with her coworker, Ben Busbee. After her husband, LTC Pat DeMars, retired from the South Carolina Army National Guard, she worked with him in his photography business. Her faith in God was very important to her and she loved to serve others. She was a charter member of Riverland Hills Baptist Church and was a member of the Friendship Sunday School class. She previously served on the church kitchen committee serving meals on Wednesday nights and helped with Vacation Bible School over the years. She also served on the Friendship Class Meals Committee which provided meals to their class members who lost loved ones. Growing up in the Eau Claire area, she was a member of Earlewood Baptist Church where her mother and father served the church in many capacities. She was also a member of the Gideons International Women’s Auxiliary for 35 years and served in several leadership positions. She was an avid Clemson Tiger fan and for many years tailgated at Clemson with her family and friends. In later years, she was at home watching the football games on TV and cheering on her Tigers and Coach Dabo. She never wanted to miss watching the Tigers play. She will be fondly remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother (MeMe), daughter and friend. Surviving are her husband of 56 years, Pat DeMars of Columbia, SC; daughters, Sheri DeMars Hamilton of Lexington, SC, and Kim DeMars Parrish of Chapin, SC; 3 grandsons, Hunter Hamilton of Lexington, SC, Brandon Parrish and Justin Parrish of Chapin, SC; her Aunt, Polly Ridgeway Sankus of Manning, SC; and many cousins and dear friends. Her family would like to express their deepest appreciation to Amedisys Hospice and their loving caregivers Nurse Jennifer David and CNA Daphne Frazier and to the incredible medical staff on the Eighth Floor of the South Tower of Lexington Medical Center led by Doctor Hope Brainard. Memorials may be made to the Riverland Hills Baptist Church, Attention: Benevolence Fund, 201 Lake Murray Blvd, Irmo, SC 29063, or The Gideons International, (The Irmo Camp-U39031), PO Box 210263, Columbia, SC 29221.