DeMarco Hampton

DeMarco Hampton, 52, passed on August 19, 2015, at Deaconess Hospital surrounded by his family.

He was born June 14, 1963, in Evansville, Ind., to Glenda Bonita (Matthews) Hampton and the late Fred Hampton, Jr. He was a member of St. Benedict Cathedral Church where he was an altar servant in his youth.

In 1982, he graduated from Reitz Memorial High School. He began work at McDonald’s Restaurants and later joined the staff of Evansville Inner City Reporter, a community newspaper. In 1983, he helped to found Our Times newspaper in Evansville and served as its Advertising & Production Director for nearly 32 years until his health began to fail this year. In this position, he volunteered his design and marketing talents to many nonprofit organizations as well as launching the Evansville African American Museum, Inc., which honored him with a Lifetime Membership award.

He loved the social and arts venues of the city and organized several outstanding events as Director of Fundraising for the Evansville Branch NAACP, as Treasurer of the Evansville Museum Contemporaries, and as a member of the Advisory Board of the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana in the 1990’s. Among these activities was the guest appearance of actor Andre Braugher of the Civil War epic, “Glory,” and the ambassador of Haiti, Yves L. Auguste, in celebration of the 200th Anniversary of the Haitian Revolution. He loved to host birthday, anniversary and wedding parties for his friends at his favorite restaurants: Acropolis, Bokeh Lounge, The Jungle, and the former Petroleum Club. He was famous for his theme parties, “Stock the Bar,” with high fashion linens, silverware, Chinaware, etc. His entertainment style landed him on the covers of Evansville tourist and business magazines such as Evansville Living and regularly in the Evansville Courier & Press’s Sunday social page, “Who?” by Marilou Berry, and “On and About Town” with Kelly Coures.

He was preceded in death by his father, Fred Hampton, Jr. who died in 1997; his maternal grandparents: Jasper LeRoy Matthews in 1959 and Lucille Shepard Matthews in 2012; and a brother, Terrence Burris.

Cherishing his memories are his mother, Glenda B. Hampton; five sisters: Fredericka Hampton, LaTanya Darnell, and Terri Brooks - all of Evansville, Gevett Darnell of Cincinnati OH, and Dahia Stickland of St. Paul MN; a brother, Clifton Darnell, Jr. of Louisville KY; four nephews he helped to raise as his sons: Steven Butler of Washington D.C., Frederick Majors, Ambrose Hampton, and Alexander Chambers – all of Evansville; a niece, Letta Bailey; two aunts, Sondra L. Matthews and Claudia A. Matthews – both of Evansville; and a host of cousins, friends, and two special friends: Gary and Janine Kercher of Evansville.