Mother McLemore

McLEMORE, Mother Leona - Age 95, passed away Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Hurley Medical Center. Family hour 10AM Saturday, May 9, 2009 at Abundant Life Ministries, Intl., 5402 Clio Rd., with funeral service commencing at 11AM, Pastor Larry A. Holley officiating. Interment River Rest Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10AM Saturday. Mother McLemore will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 1PM-8PM Friday. Mother Leona McLemore was born July 17, 1913, in Rison, Arkansas to Robert and Edith (Stephenson) Stocker. Mother McLemore was a member of Golden Leaf Baptist Church of Flint, MI, where she sang in the Senior Choir, was a member of the Nurse’s Guild and served on the Mother’s Board for many years, leaving only to support her grandson, Pastor Larry A. Holley, after he founded Abundant Life Ministries International. During the war, she worked at the Arsenal in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, but mostly she was a homemaker. She loved traveling and traveled extensively with her children, other family members, the Blue Star Mothers and the Dort Oak Park Neighborhood House headed by Sister Joyce Black, where she was affectionately known as “Mac without the cheese”. Mother McLemore enjoyed quilting, bowling, shopping and caring for her children and grandchildren. She cared for her own mother for many years before she passed away at age 93. After her husband passed away she chose to live alone. For the past 30 years, she resided in the Burton Place Apartments in Burton, MI. Mother McLemore was a sharp dresser, and had to have a hat to match every outfit. She leaves to cherish her memory: 5 children, Lessie Moore, Ola (Ed) Jones, Janet (Wendell) Counts, Lawrence McLemore, Jr. and Clara Echols, all of Flint; 28 grandchildren, all of whom were very close to her; 57 great-grandchildren; 38 great-great-grandchildren; brother, Warren G. Stocker, Sr., of Flint; 2 nephews, Warren Jr. and Eric Stocker of California; 2 nieces, Dorothy (Charles) Young of St. Louis, MO and Sharon and (Bishop Richard) Taylor of Bonny Lalo, WA; sister-in-law, Pat Stocker of Oakland, CA; a host of other relatives and friends survive. Mother McLemore was preceded in death by her husband, Lawrence McLemore, Sr.; daughter, Artie; sons, R.D., Charlie and Leo; sister, Beatrice Stocker; and brothers, Robert, Herbert and Essie Stocker.

Mother McLemore

July 17, 1913 - May 2, 2009