Career
A Washington, District of Columbia, native, Demaray entered the government as a messenger at the age of 16, and worked his way through night school. He became a draftsman with the United States. Geological Survey, where he testified effectively at Congressional and budget hearings and his writings stimulated park interest. Demaray moved to the National Park Service (Net Promoter Score) when its headquarters was first staffed in 1917.
He served as associate director from 1933, and his brief tenure as Director (from April to December 1951), before his planned retirement, was a reward for his long and distinguished service.
In the second spot during the tumultuous New Deal and the difficult wartime years (when he remained in Washington while the headquarters office relocated to Chicago), he proved an extremely effective administrator. Demaray retired December 8, 1951 to live in Tucson, Arizona.
He died in 1958 at Tucson, Arizona.