Jamie Sue Depmore Meredith

Jamie Sue Meredith passed away peacefully in Austin, Texas, on Friday, October 10, 2014. She is survived by her sisters Binnie Hoffman of Evant, Texas and Keith Deal of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, her brothers David Depmore of Round Rock, Texas and Dan Depmore of Orange County, California and numerous nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Jamie was born in Midland-Odessa on August 27, 1945, to Margaret Fitzgerald Depmore and Daniel B. Depmore. She was a tomboy almost from birth, loving the out-of-doors, all sports, animals (especially horses) and welcomed any opportunity for competition. After her mother's premature death in 1957, Jamie moved to San Angelo for a year and a half to live with her aunt and uncle, John and Eloise Fitzgerald Nixon. The Nixon family moved to a ranch outside of Bandera in the summer of 1959, where Jamie thrived throughout junior high school and high school in Bandera. She was a cheerleader, enthusiastic FFA member and excellent student, planning to go to veterinary school at A&M long before there were many female students there.

An automobile accident in August of 1962 caused severe head trauma, putting Jamie in a coma for several months followed by years of physical and speech therapy. In spite of that, she was able to graduate from Bandera High School, thanks to the wonderful accommodations made by the faculty and staff there, years before schools offered services for special needs students. She was able to work in the mailroom of the Texas General Land Office for almost 20 years.

Jamie moved into Sagebrook, an Austin nursing home, twelve years ago when it became apparent that she required full nursing care. Jamie quickly made friends of the staff and patients there, and was elected Valentine Queen her first year in residence. She continued to love competitive sports, though from a wheelchair, and always bragged to social workers and others about the care she received there.

While many would have been depressed and bitter about such a dramatic turn of fate, Jamie remained cheerful and could always find a silver lining in any cloud. She never lost those very early character traits that defined her, and never lost faith.

Her funeral service will be at Bandera First United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 17, 2014, with interment to follow at Bandera Cemetery. Pallbearers will include Adam Depmore, David Depmore, Dan Depmore, Dr. John Focke, Lou McCreary and Rob Schulz. Ernest Deal will be Honorary Pallbearer.