Harry Lawrence DeMille

Harry Lawrence DeMille passed away at age 74 on April 20, 2025, with his family
at his side.
Harry was in born in Atlanta, GA, on February 13, 1951, to Janet Smith DeMille
and Harry Ware DeMille III, both native Atlantans. He was the first of four
siblings.
Harry attended Druid Hills High School in Decatur. He played the clarinet in the
school’s marching band and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout as a member of
Decatur’s Troop 175. After graduating from Druid Hills in 1969, Harry studied
English literature and French at Georgia State University. He greatly admired the
French language and its literature, an interest he maintained throughout his life.
After running an independent custodial service, Harry decided to try his hand at a
business enterprise based on his love of music and wide-ranging knowledge of a
variety of musical forms and artists. He and a partner cobbled together their
resources and on June 6, 1976, they launched Wax ’n ‘ Facts, a store dedicated to
new and used records and books located in Atlanta’s Little Five Points business
district.
As the store caught on and grew, it brought new life to the block it occupied and
ultimately played an important role in revitalizing the Little Five Points
neighborhood. Over time the partners expanded the building they initially
occupied, increasing their sales space and literally building the business from the
ground up. Eventually, vinyl records and other forms of music would constitute the
core of the business model. Now, while the store still carries books, the real “facts”
of the business was Harry’s knowledge of music, which he was delighted to share
with like-minded customers for almost 50 years.
Succeeding as an entrepreneur is an impressive achievement and Harry was
justifiably proud. However, he knew that no accomplishment in life is worth much
without having someone to love and share his dreams with. He realized soon
enough that his greatest fortune was not his business, but his beloved and
supportive wife of 45 years, Alice Kelly. With Alice at his side, he had a partner in
life—the sweet comfort of companionship—that makes the ordinary magic and the
extraordinary possible.
Harry possessed a gift — quiet but tangible. He was learned and witty, and he was
always good company. The many testimonies on social media attest to these
attributes and they continue to flow in.
In addition to Alice, Harry is survived by his siblings, Carol Bridges and David
DeMille of Decatur and Donald DeMille of Pine Lake, GA; nephew Dale Bridges
of Canton, GA; as well as a treasure trove of in-laws, nieces, and nephews in
Arkansas and Alabama who all loved him dearly.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Druid Hills High School, 1798
Haygood Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30207, attn: Bookkeeper/Arts and Music
Program; or to your favorite charity.
A celebration of Harry’s life is now being planned, with the time and place to be
announced in the coming weeks