Lillian Eileen (Huff) DeMaris

Missing Person, Considered Deceased

Lillian Demaris

Lillian “Eileen” DeMaris (Courtesy Iowa Department of Public Safety)

Name: Lillian Eileen (Huff) DeMaris
AKA: Lillian E. Huff
Age at Report: 31
Date of Birth: May 12, 1921
Height: 5’2″
Weight: 120 pounds
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Classification: Endangered, Disabled
Missing from: Mason City, IA
Cerro Gordo County
Case Number: 00-18286
NamUs MP # 18613
Missing Since: August 14, 1952

 

Cerro Gordo County in Iowa
Cerro Gordo County in Iowa
 
Mason City in Cerro Gordo CountyMason City in Cerro Gordo County

 
Lillian “Eileen” DeMaris, 31, disappeared from Mason City, Iowa, on August 14, 1952, leaving behind three young daughters, ages 6, 4, and 2.

DeMaris was married four times. Her husbands included Patrick O’Brien, Shorty Thompson, Charles “Chuck” Jackson, and Tom DeMaris, who died in a construction accident in Minnesota.

Lillian Eileen Huff was born in Dodge, Nebraska, on May 12, 1921, to parents Lee Ollie Huff and Lillian E. (Stewart) Huff. The family moved to Mason City in 1934 when Lillian was a young girl.

For a period of time during the 1950s, Lillian lived in Killeen, Texas, and also worked as a food vendor with a traveling carnival.

Lillian DeMarisCourtesy photo “Jackie”
Lillian DeMaris in her younger years. Photo submitted by her granddaughter.

She had eight brothers: Norman C. “Red” Huff, Calvin G. “Cap” Huff, Clifford Huff, John Huff, Judge David Huff, Leonard Huff, Lee “Bill” Huff, and Lynn Huff; and one sister, Vivian.

An obituary for her brother Norman “Red” Huff — who died February 23, 2001 in Mason City — was published in the Mason City Globe Gazette and included the following information in regards to surviving family members at the time:

[Norman Huff] is survived by four brothers, Calvin Huff, of Mason City, Clifford and wife, Jane, of Hampton, John and wife, Judy, of Mason City, and Judge David and wife, Cecelia, of Fallon, Nev.; one sister, Vivian Groom, of Joplin, Mo.; two sisters-in-law, Phyllis Huff, of Creston, and Edna Huff, of Sheffield; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Francis; three brothers, Leonard, Lee “Bill” and Lynn; and a sister, Eileen DeMaris.

Calvin “Cap” Huff passed away February 12, 2006.

Long after Lillian’s disappearance, her daughters continued to search for her.

Information Needed

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the Mason City Police Department at 515-421-3636.

Sources:

 

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46 Responses to Lillian Eileen Demaris

  1. s says:

    where is her namus profile?

    • Candy Gomez says:

      Lillian’s mamus case has been closed. Mason City was supposed to update this site and close her case. After years of searching her family finally has answers. Lillian passed away in 1969 in New Orleans. Her remains are interned in Charity hospital cemetery.

  2. Patrick Kerrigan says:

    I tried to research her on Ancestry, to see if they any records of her marriages. I found a Family Tree entry for her, but no marriage records. I was hoping to find when her last husband died and when. It said he died in Minnesota one place. Someone thinks the husband died along with his son died in Missouri. It might explain why she disappeared. Also the family tree did not mention her children.

    • Rose Bacardi says:

      I have researched all of her marriage licenses the only one I ever came across was for Charles Jackson and as I was told she never actually married the guy in Minnesota but maybe I’m wrong but I did fine a person I was connected to the carnival with the same to scars on her face and they said that she passed away in a car accident but had several different names and she was leaving the carnival about the same time same height scene hair color a little bit heavier but the timeline didn’t match up

    • Candy Gomez says:

      Her daughter’s don’t know all of the info. I do know her last marriage was performed in Soiux Falls South Dakato. The reason she was reported disabled is because the family believes she had a nervous breakdown due to Alan’s death and a miscarriage shortly after.

    • Candy says:

      Alan died in a accident in Minnesota. They were married in Sioux Falls South Dakota.

      • martha buchanan says:

        his name was tom demsris he died releasing the band on a trucload of logsthey werent set right on the load they rolled off on himhe was adding on to farmhouse due to big family they had

  3. MSegers says:

    Why do they the Classification as Endangered, Disabled? There has been no mention of her being physically or mentally disabled.

  4. jackie says:

    look at this women died in a car accident say size hair color eyes and would explain why that women had her name is FL and and the same scars on her chin found it from October 7 1950 billboards for the carnival news paper in Olklahoma

  5. Jackie eileen Ades says:

    there is also a pic connected with the Thomas carnival website to the history that looks a lot like her

  6. Jackie eileen Ades says:

    found information on a women with the carnival that was killed in a car accident ……if you want to look up information called the billboard carnival it’s a carny news paper

  7. tina says:

    Jody, is there no more info available for Lillian

    • Jackie Eileen Ades says:

      what information would you like ? when she disappeared my mom was 2 Amy Jackson and her sister Kathy Jackson was 4 Martha was 6 ….was sure if she owned part of the carnival or just worked there …I’ve been told her and i Believe shorty owned part of it …..she was never reported miss because great grandma didn’t want to lose the girls……They did do the paper work and considered her legally dead …but as my mom and her sisters get older I know that they want closer …I know I do and I never met her…..Her brother Judge David Alan Huff born august 17th 1939 passed March 22 2012 tired to put her to rest but never could ….Please help my family

    • Jackie Eileen Ades says:

      more information she did not just leave

    • martha buchanan says:

      theres lots

  8. Rose Bacardi says:

    This report was wrong Lilian was never married to Shorty Thompson from what is great nephew said that i met yesterday He never married. So who was the Stewart that was Related to Shorty or lived In Texas because she was marred to a Stewart …..?n Help any small clue would help ….just trying to find more family

  9. Rose Bacardi says:

    Can anyone help me was this the Carnival the Shorty Thompson owned

  10. crystal says:

    This is my grandpa leonard huffs sister crazy I never heard about this

    • martha buchanan says:

      im sorry about the crazy part of mom she was very shrewd she owned the food vendor part of carnival in killeen texasshe sold her half and returned to mason cityin1946 and bought grandma huff a house and also bought granpa huff a house because they were separated

      • ROSE BACARDI says:

        I know my mom probably did not give you the information that you were looking for but at one point she had me investigate Grandma’s disappearance I found a woman fitting her size with the same scars leaving a carnival in Tulsa Oklahoma the woman that she was leaving the carnival with gave her a few different names in Vicky and said that they were heading to Florida exactly the same spot where grandma’s name popped up I had also met shorty Thompson’s family member he was one who also help purchase the house in Mason City Iowa you look just like his aunts and according to him he thinks you are Shorty’s daughter

        • Stacey True Keane says:

          A few years back, I had some strange visions related to nightmares I’ve had about my grandparents’ old home in Mason City that they bought a few years after Lillian disappeared. I started looking up cold cases to link to the visions and was led to Lillian’s case. I wish I had found this strand then, or I would have commented then. I would really like to talk to someone from her family. I had suspected the visions came hard at the time because her daughter was ill, possibly dying (this was 2018). I have some things I’d like to try and verify with family before sharing a “vision” with the police and looking like a crazy person.

          • Candy Gomez says:

            Stacey I am 1 of Lillian’s grandaughters.

          • Rose Bacardi says:

            Im sorry I had walked away from this and would really like you talk to you about this because its becoming so strong since i moved into this house in omaha but Im Amy witch would be the 2 year old in the report youngest Jackie but have since changed my name . The one who has passed is martha who passed Martha said i was just like grandma before she passed ……call if you want and if the dreams i can tell what i have been going threw anytime any hour i sleep with my phone on 402-212-8401

  11. Theresa says:

    The Longshot: Carnival(s) leaving the Mason City area around that time.

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