Viola Evon McLemore

1914 - 2008  (93 years)

• Name	Viola Evon McLemore  [1, 2]
  Birth	6 Nov 1914	Bronson, Sabine County, Texas   [1, 2]
  Gender	Female
  Death	18 Oct 2008	Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas   [2]
  Burial	Broaddus Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas   [2]
  Notes	Evon was a tiny baby, weighing only 2 and 1/2 pounds a few days after birth. Considering she was born and cared for at home, and not in an incubator, it is a tribute both the Evon's spirit and her mother's loving care that she not only survived but flourished. In describing her infant daughter's size, Nina used to relate that "her face was smaller than a half dollar, and I could have put her in a coffee pot, and still closed the lid." Evon picked out her own name when she was old enough. She liked the sound of Yvonne, but wasn't sure of the spelling. She was listed as Eva V. on the 1920 census. When Evon started school, she arrived everyday atop a pony led by her brother Percy. Evon's father also thought it important that his daughter be exposed to culture. When she was a young girl, she weekly took the train 10 miles from Steep Creek to Bronson in order to take piano lessons. Most weekends were spent "visiting." Evon has close relations with her many cousins still today. She attended her primary years of school in rural Sabine County, but attended High School in San Augustine County. Her father paid for her to board at the home of Dr. Davis in the winter, so she could to this. Evon was active in school, perfoming in piano recitals and playing the lead character in the 1932 Senior Class play, "Oh, Kay!" News clipping (dated 3-28-1929, newspaper not referenced) Steep Creek Club The Steep Creek 4-H girls met on March 26. Seven girls were present. The following officers were elected: Evon McLemore, President; Rosa Henley, Vice President; Lois Powell, Sec'y; Bonnie Wilson, Reporter. An apron was cut out. Bonnie Wilson, reporter. San Augustine Tribune Thursday, May 26, 1932, Vol. XXIV, Number 9 School Term Brought to Successful Close Thursday night at the high school auditorium the commencement exercises were attended by a large crowd....A piano solo was skillfully rendered by Evon McLemore, class musician....diplomas were presented by R. V. Greer, superintendent of the local schools to the following candidates: Randolph Hankla, Charles S. McMillan, Willys G. Blount, Sam Henry Williams, Lois Marie Thompson, A. C. Everett, Evon McLemore, Willie Mae Stevenphson, Geneva Stallings. Earl McEachern, Hoyt J. Alford, Sidney Westbrook, Allene Stewart, Ruby Mitchill, Mildred Whitton, Clifford Childers, Bonnie Partin, Zelma Soward, Alran Hays, James Bridges, Helen Alford and Early Needham. After Evon graduated from San Augustine High School, she went on to Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches. She became a teacher, majoring in Home Economics and minoring in English. The college classmate that was her best friend was Merlene McLemore, a cousin. Vessie was able to help his daughter get a job teaching in Chinquapin through a friend of his who was school trustee. She later taught in nearby Broaddus. Soon after Evon started teaching in Broaddus, Dale Tisdale's mother called her son, who was working in Lawrenceville, Indiana, to tell him that "there were some attractive new teachers in town, and he ought to come home soon for a visit." He did, and fell promptly in love with Evon. Evon continued to teach after her marriage, while Dale managed his parents store. During World War II, Evon moved to Fort Worth while Dale was in the service. She taught a small school district just outside of the city. They also briefly lived in San Antonio. The Tisdale's returned to East Texas, and Dale opened a small general store in Zavalla. She returned to Stephen F. Austin and received her Master's in Education in 1951. After the Tisdale's moved to Lufkin, Evon obtained a teaching position at Hudson High School. She remained there until she retired in 1972. Her daughter, Jan, began teaching Spanish at the Hudson in 1971, the year before her mother retired. She loved music, art and the natural world. She had a beautiful soprano voice and was a member of the Angelina County Choir for a number of years. She was good at creative arts, and especially loved China painting. She participated in this after her retirement, as well as traveling with Dale and Bob with the AirStream Travel Trailer club. She was an active member of the Timberland Drive Church of Christ. Both Evon and Dale were instrumental in the formation of the Angelina County Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) and supporters of the Lufkin Workshop and Opportunity Center. Obituary Evon McLemore Tisdale, 93, of Lufkin, was born November 6, 1914, in Bronson, Texas, the daughter of the late Nina (Fuller) and V.E. McLemore. She passed away Saturday, October 18, 2008, in a local nursing facility. Mrs. Tisdale graduated from San Augustine High School and Stephen F. Austin State University. She married Dale Tisdale, the love of her life, on January 8, 1938. She taught at Hudson Elementary School until 1972. She supported the Lufkin Workshop & Opportunity Center and the Burke Center. She was a member of Timberland Drive Church of Christ. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Janet and A. E. "Pete" Peterson of Lufkin; son, Bob Tisdale of Lufkin; granddaughter, Sheryl Falk and her husband Richard Retz of Houston; grandson, Lee J. Rawcliffe of Houston; brother and sister-in-law, Tom and Bonnie McLemore of Houston; sisters-in-law, Opal McLemore of Nacogdoches and Bobbie McLemore of San Augustine; and numerous nieces, nephews and many dear friends. Mrs. Tisdale was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 51 years, Dale Tisdale; brothers, Percy McLemore, Earl McLemore and Lynn McLemore, all of San Augustine, and Ray McLemore of Nacogdoches. Expressions of sympathy in Mrs. Tisdale's memory may be made to the Burke Center, 4101 S. Medford, Lufkin, Texas 75904; or to Hospice in the Pines, 116 S. Raguet, Lufkin, Texas 75904. Services for Mrs. Tisdale will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, October 22, 2008, in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel, with Mr. Harold Hancock officiating. Graveside services will follow at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Broaddus Cemetery. Gipson Funeral Home; Duane Hills, director. Source: http://legacy.com/LufkinDailyNews/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=119099748 Nearly identical notices were published in the October 23, 2008 issue of the San Augustine Tribune, on Page 11, and in the October 29 issue of The Sabine County Reporter, page 15.
  Person ID	I55	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	13 Feb 2021

  
  

  Father	Vessie Eugene McLemore,   b. 1 Feb 1885, Hemphill, Sabine County, Texas d. 21 Jan 1952, San Augustine, San Augustine County, Texas (Age 66 years)
  Mother	Nina Ophelia Fuller,   b. 15 Sep 1891, Rosevine, Sabine County, Texas d. 8 Jul 1980, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas (Age 88 years)
  Marriage	7 Nov 1907	Many, Sabine Parish, Louisiana   [3]
  	Nina's mother died six months after Nina's Fifteenth birthday. As the oldest girl, and second of eight children, all the day to day household tasks of caring for their large family immediately fell to her. To make matters worse, Nina's father had relatives who had moved to the fertile lower Rio Grande Valley to farm. They encouraged him to move down there as well. He had made several trips down to visit them, and to inspect land. Nina was desperately afraid of leaving her beloved east Texas. About this same time, Nina met Vessie McLemore met at a church revival. They enjoyed each other's company, and began secretly corresponding with each other. Vessie soon proposed, and in November 1907, they snuck across the river to Many, Louisiana and eloped. Nina had turned sixteen years old not quite two months earlier. Nina told her granddaughter, Melinda, that she and Vessie had only seen each other twice in person before their marriage. A photo exists that appears to be their wedding picture. Vessie is wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and white bow tie, and Nina in a white dress, with a large flower in her hair. Witnesses at their wedding were, H. E. White, presumably Henry Ernest White--Vessie's first cousin-- and A. McGown [likely either Albert or Andrew McGown, brothers who lived nearby the young couple in Geneva, Texas]. The license was filed for record on 14 July 1908 in Volume 3, Page 272 of the Marriage Records of Sabine Parish, Louisiana by W. E. McNuly, clerk, oper J. J. McNuly, Deputy. Joe Fuller was not pleased with his daughters elopement. For at least several months after their wedding, the young couple avoided him. Rumors abounded that he might shoot Vessie on sight. Jan Tisdale, another granddaughter, remembers similar stories. Jan said that Nina's younger sisters were especially saddened by the hasty marriage. They lost both their mother and older sister in less than a year. Written by Melinda McLemore Strong, granddaughter, circa 1995 and revised periodically
  Documents		Fuller, Nina Ophelia marriage to Vessie E. McLemore, Many, Louisiana, 1907 Nina and Vessie eloped in Many, Louisiana, just across the state line from Sabine County, Texas, where they both grew up
  Family ID	F11	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Memmon Dale Tisdale,   b. 27 Jul 1911, Manning, Angelina County, Texas d. 30 Jul 1990, Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County, Texas (Age 79 years)
  Marriage	8 Jan 1938	Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana
  Children	1. Living   2. Robert Dale Tisdale,   b. 23 Feb 1957, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas d. 24 Aug 2012, Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas (Age 55 years)
  Photos		Tisdale, Evon (McLemore) with her husband, Dale Evon and Dale had been married over 40 years at the time this photo was taken
  Documents		Tisdale, Dale and Evon McLemore Both Dale and Evon were Teachers in San Augustine County during the 1933-1934 school year, Evon in Broaddus and Dale in Lucas
  Family ID	F54	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	9 Dec 2006

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 6 Nov 1914 - Bronson, Sabine County, Texas Marriage - 8 Jan 1938 - Shreveport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana Death - 18 Oct 2008 - Lufkin, Angelina County, Texas Burial - - Broaddus Cemetery, San Augustine County, Texas  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		McLemore, Percy ca 1919 with Evon and Earl The three eldest children of Vessie and Nina McLemore
  		McLemore, Evon Viola ca 1920 Evon as a young girl
  		McLemore, Percy ca 1920, with Evon, Earl and Ray The four oldest of the McLemore siblings, children of Nina (Fuller) and Vessie McLemore, ca 1920, Sabine County, Texas
  		_McLemore, Evon Wife of Dale Tisdale
  		McLemore, Evon Viola ca 1930's Appears to have been taken sometime in the 1930's, probably early in her teaching career
  		McLemore, Evon Viola ca 1930's Wife of Dale Tisdale B. 1914 Texas
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		McLemore, Percy ca 1985 with Evon, Earl, Ray, Tom and Lynn The McLemore Siblings, Children of Nina Fuller and Vessie McLemore, October, 1985 Family Reunion at the Tisdale Lake House l to r: Percy, Evon, Earl, Ray, Tom and Lynn
  		McLemore, Vessie and Nina Family Reunion, October 1985, Broaddus, Texas l to r: Samantha Weimmer, Nina Ross (McLemore) Weimmer, Velta (Rawson) McLemore, Evelyn (McLemore) Sanders, Fred Sanders (kneeling), Evon (McLemore) Tisdale, Missy McLemore (Seated) with Lee Jay Rawcliffe on her knee, Melinda (McLemore) Strong, Tom Strong, Earl McLemore, Cassandra Weimmer, Lynn McLemore, Elma (Smith) McLemore, Percy McLemore, Dale Tisdale (facing left), Ray McLemore, Opal (Hensarling) McLemore, Tom McLemore
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.
  		McLemore, Evon Viola ca 2006 Evon McLemore Tisdale (right), poses with her younger brothers, Lynn (left) and Tom (standing-center) at the celebration of her 93rd birthday in Lufkin
  		At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.

  
  

  Documents		McLemore, Viola Evon Memorial Service Program, Front Cover
  		McLemore, Viola Evon, Memorial Service Program Memorial Service Program, Inside Cover, listing vital facts and pallbearers

  
  

• Sources

  [S674] Tisdale, Evon McLemore-Family Member, Correspondence and Interviews. [S342] San Augustine Tribune, weekly, 807 E. Columbia, San Augustine, TX, (San Augustine Tribune, USPS No. 479-040, Published every Thursday at 807 E. Columbia St., San Augustine, Texas 75972 Stephen Hays & Arlan Hays, Publishers. Postmaster: Change of Address notice should be made at P.O. Box 539, San Augustine, Texas 75972. The Tribune is a continuation of the Texas Chronicle moved from Galveston to San Augustine in 1837 and published as the Redlander.), Thursday, October 23, 2008, Page 11 (Reliability: 3). [S382] State of Louisiana, Parish of Sabine, Marriage License.