Arthur Clinton McLemore

Notes:

At the time of the 1930 census, he was a lodger in a boarding home in Oklahoma City, listed as Arthur C. McLemore, Male, White, 18, Single, born Ala, parents born Miss and Ala, and occupation: Laborer, Odd Jobs. Year: 1930; Census Place: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Oklahoma; Roll: 1920; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 0117; Image: 730.0; FHL microfilm: 2341654

Obituary, copied from his FindAGrave memorial page, created by MillieBelle:

One of 13 children born to John and Dena McLemore, my grandparents. In the 30's he and Mae moved to Alvin, Texas, a bustling oilfield town on the Gulf Coast south of Houston. He opened a variety store there and A.C. and Mae would keep the store open all hours so the oilfield workers would stop for coffee and to buy something. He and Mae built a business that had stores in several towns of S.E. Texas and employed mostly family members as store managers. A.C. had a head for business and saw the coming of Gibson's and what was to be WalMart so he sold to Wacker's in the mid-60s and retired to build a catfish farm at Albion, Oklahoma on the Kiamichi River. He died from an instantly fatal heart attack there in the cabin with Mae. John Edward McLemore of Talihina, Oklahoma was the only child and he is the namesake of his Grandfather.
(From Contributor #48336476)

Family/Spouse: Mae Coble. Mae was born on 4 Jan 1913 in Figure Five, Crawford County, Arkansas; died on 24 Jul 1996 in Talihina, Le Flore County, Oklahoma; was buried in Oak Hill Memorial Park, McAlester, Pittsburg County, Oklahoma. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obituary, copied from his FindAGrave memorial page, created by Beanie Ragan Adams:


JOHN MCLEMORE, 67, of Talihina, Okla. went home to be with Jesus on February 13, 2011. Son of Arthur Clinton and Mae Coble McLemore, he began his journey on this earth in Alvin, Texas on October 10, 1943. John grew up in Alvin and told countless stories of playing with his cousins and friends, fishing in the Gulf, hunting with his dad, and working in his parents five and dime variety stores. He accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior at a young age. He began using his God-given gift of singing in church as a minister. He was the music minister at the First Baptist Church in Talihina for over 35 years. He loved the Lord, and loved his church family. John graduated high school from Allan Military Academy. He bought his first street rod during his freshman year of college at Sam Houston State University, in Huntsville, Texas. Street rodding would become his life long passion. For a short time after college he managed several A & W Root Beer Franchises. He moved to Tuskahoma, Oklahoma in 1970. He partnered with his father, built and developed the Kiamichi Fish Farm. John married the love of his life Martha Ann Boston, on October 2, 1971. They had three children together and his commitment and love for all of them was beyond measure. Rare was the day that he didn't say "I love you" multiple times. He owned and operated the Western Auto in Talihina until 1986. Soon thereafter, he began teaching art at Talihina Public School. He would often say, "teaching is what I should have been doing all my life." Mr. Mac absolutely adored his students. No doubt about it, he was an avid Tiger fan. He could be found Friday nights, 2nd row from the top, on the fifty yard line, cow bells in hand. To many of his street rod buddies he was known as "Talihina John", or just "TJ". He was a founding member of the "No Name Gang", and would spend countless hours talking about, and building hot rods with this brotherhood of friends. He established the "Talihina Fun Run" in 1998, and has hosted it for the last 12 years. The Talihina Fun Run always ended with a meal at John's home and a stroll through his "Field of Dreams." He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents John Edward and Dena McLemore, and maternal grandparents Omar Shaw and Alice Coble, and his parents. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Martha Ann McLemore, of the home; daughter Rebecca McLemore of Talihina; son Clinton and Kim McLemore of Ardmore; daughter Stephanie McLemore of Ardmore; and three grandchildren, Kadie, Jonathan, and Rachael McLemore of Ardmore; and "adopted" son Alex Barron, of Spiro. He was the brother-in-law of Donna and the late Bill Baggett, Janice and Paul Lawson, and JD Boston all of Talihina. He leaved numerous other cherished relatives, and friends. While he will be greatly missed by his family and friends, we rejoice in knowing he has completed his journey here, and is at home with his Lord. John was a member of the Talihina Lions Club for 24 years.

Services will be held on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at the Talihina High School Gym, with Reverend Mark Cook and Reverend Carrol Redwine officiating. Interment will follow at the Old Talihina Cemetery. Arrangements under the direction of Talihina Funeral Home, Talihina, Oklahoma.