Wilma Joan LeMire, 83, of Beaumont, passed away peacefully on February 28, 2014. Her passions were her family, education, and church.
Born Wilma Joan Weishuhn in El Campo, Texas, on August 11, 1930, she graduated with honors from El Campo High School in 1948. Life was hard for the family while she was growing up during the depression era, but she recalled with fondness many family events and especially taking care of her younger brother, Bobby. She graduated in 1951 from Texas State College for Women (now TWU) in Denton, where she met her lifelong love, Frank LeMire, who was attending North Texas State College. Married in Port Arthur on December 26, 1952, they spent their early years in Port Arthur, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette after which they took up long-time residence in Beaumont, Texas, to raise their four children. During this time Wilma was a dedicated housewife and mother whose shining intellect allowed her to support her husband in his success at his work and ensured that whatever school her kids were attending had an active and productive PTA. She was Catholic catechism director for St. Pius in the early 80s. It was during this time that her husband, Frank, sadly passed away after a short battle against cancer. Upon the youngest daughter’s, Jeanne, entering college, Wilma returned to college herself, earning a Master of Science in Mathematics in 1988. She then dedicated her time to teaching as a lecturer at Lamar University and had several coworkers with whom she developed strong friendships. After retirement she enjoyed keeping up with several of her longtime friends of Beaumont.
Wilma LeMire is survived by her sons, David and Robert LeMire; daughters Mary West and Jeanne LeMire; three grandchildren, Peter Baumann, Lauren and Cory West; and two sisters, Bernadette Watson and Barbara McCarty.
A Rosary for Mrs. LeMire will be recited at 6:00 p.m., Monday, March 3, 2014, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at St. Anne Catholic Church, 2715 Calder Avenue, Beaumont, with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001, online at https://secure3.4agoodcause.com/afa/fundraisers/memorial1.aspx, or by phone at 866-232-8484.
