Wanda Lemons

Wanda Lemons lived her young life in a three-room house with her parents, Doc and Reatha Bell (Grayson) Laman and 9 siblings in rural Southeast Oklahoma. From her earliest years she dedicated herself to learning all she could to make herself and everyone around her better. She attended a one-room school house and studied at home by light from the fireplace or kerosene lamp. Wishard was amazed to realize that Wanda's life had more in common with the pioneer life of his father than with his own life in the city of Muskogee.

After high school Wanda studied business and worked as secretary to a state legislator, to Gov. Raymond Gary, and then to Dr. Stowe (later Bishop Stowe) at St. Luke's Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. Wanda teased that one way to improve herself was to leave the Baptist Church and become a Methodist. A young, recently widowed minister came to the office to see Bishop Stowe and left having eyes only for Wanda. Initially reluctant to pursue a relationship with a preacher with three children, Wanda soon realized that unlike other suitors, this man "got better and better instead of worse and worse" and they were soon married. Wanda became both Mrs. Wishard Lemons and mother to three young boysClark, Don and Gary-- all in the same day. Two children, Mark and Laurie, completed the Lemons' family in time.

Wanda returned to school and became an English and business teacher with a long and distinguished career in Tulsa Public Schools and Oral Roberts University.

Wanda's life was defined by passion for her Lord, her husband and family, her church, students and many friends. She and Wishard were avid runners and participated in almost every run in Tulsa for many years, including the Wish Lemons Run. Wanda invested all of her endless energy and talents into helping people work up from wherever they were to where they dreamed they could be. In later years, her passion became her wonderful grandchildren. Always a teacher, devoted to improvement, her very last words to the family explained the correct usage of "lie" and "lay." We love you, Wanda.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Wishard; sons and daughters-in-law, Clark Lemons of Atlanta, GA, Don and Allison Lemons of Wichita, KS, Gary and Lillian Lemons of Scottsdale, AZ, Mark and Jo Lemons of Corpus Christi, TX; daughter and son-in-law, Laurie and Jack Greiner of Vinita, OK; grandchildren, Andres Lemons and his wife, Mara Aceves, John Paul Lemons, Miguel Lemons, Nathan Lemons and his wife, Marta, Micah Lemons, Jacob and Joel Lemons, Jamie and David Davila, Kayla Jean and Benjamin Greiner; a great grandson, Abel Lemons.