Loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, teacher, and friend, Patsy Marie McLemore, nee Reaves, passed away peacefully on August 13, 2022. Patsy was born on May 18, 1933 in Mt. Vernon, Texas, and later moved to Austin with her beloved Mother, Imogene, and her older sisters, Jerry, Irma Jean, and Wanda, where she attended the University of Texas. While attending a square dance on the UT campus, Patsy caught the eye of a young handsome UT student, Dale McLemore. A shy girl at the time, Patsy refused Dale’s requests for a dance, not knowing that she had just met the love of her life. Luckily, Dale was a persistent young man and he and Patsy were married at her Mother’s home on Pearl Street on April 15, 1953.
There began a happy and loving almost-seventy (70) year marriage filed with adventure. The young couple moved to New Haven, Connecticut soon after they married, where Patsy taught elementary school while Dale worked toward his PhD at Yale University. They both were thrilled to move back to Austin when Dale began his career as a Sociology professor at UT.
Above all, Patsy was devoted to her extended family. Her happiest moments were the many family gatherings in her home with her husband, her Mother and Aunt, her sisters, her brothers-in-law, her nieces and nephews, their extended families, her children, and her grandchildren. Patsy made each person in her home feel welcome and important. And no one was more proud of their grandchildren than Patsy. Her refrigerator remains buried in photos of her grandchildren at all ages. Her summers were spent taking each grandchild on an adventure in what the kids referred to as “Camp Grandma.”
One of Patsy’s enduring passions was educating young minds and supporting the public school system. Patsy was a beloved elementary school teacher in the Austin Independent School District her entire career. She spent many years teaching at Campbell, Gullett, and Wooten Elementary Schools. As a teacher, Patsy touched more young lives than can be counted. She also made it her mission to take young teachers under her wing to help them find success as educators. Patsy had many lifelong friendships with her fellow AISD teachers and she considered those friends to be part of her family. She was so proud to be followed into the teaching profession by one of her grandchildren.
An avid reader and bridge player, Patsy had a sharp mind and typically filled out the crossword puzzle each day in pen. She was an unwavering Democrat, a rabid UT football and women’s basketball fan, and a voracious reader of mystery and crime novels. Many people arrived empty handed at her home and left with a paper sack filled with books. Her love of reading lives on in her children and grandchildren.
Patsy is preceded in death by her Mother, her Aunt Marie, her sisters, Wanda Ferrill and Irma Jean Wornell-Manuel, her brothers-in-law, Jack Ferrill, Bill Read, and Dub Wornell, her niece Dianna Evatt, and her brother-in-law Alan McLemore. She is survived by her loving and loyal husband, Dr. S. Dale McLemore, her daughter Jean McLemore Flores and husband Paulo Flores of Dallas, son Scott McLemore of Austin, grandchildren Tiana Flores and husband Mauro Parro of Austin, Savy Flores of Dallas, and Brinn Flores of Dallas, sister Jerry Read of Austin, brothers-in-law Timothy McLemore and Mason McLemore, her first “babies,” her nieces and nephews, Sharon Joiner and husband Bennett Joiner, Cathy Barnett and husband Robert Barnett, Robert Read and wife Tucker Read, Beverly Burke and husband William Finley, and Don Ferrill, as well as the many children and grandchildren of her nieces and nephews.
Patsy was dearly loved by all who knew her and is well missed by her family and friends.
A memorial service will be held October 1, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 N. Lamar. If you are inclined to so do in her memory, Patsy’s family asks that you support your local Austin Independent School District school by volunteering your time or making a donation.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.17