Pilar McLemore left peacefully from home to our Lord on Tuesday, August 2, 2022. She was an extraordinary woman that is loved and missed, and will always be cherished.
Pilar was the youngest daughter born to Ronnie Blaske & Jo Popma on April 11, 1970 in Greenville, TX. She went to Longview High School and then graduated from Hockaday in Dallas in 1988. She received her teaching degree from LeTourneau University. Pilar lived 10 years in Austin, working at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She was fluent in sign language and worked with the deaf and blind. Her two greatest joys were her son and daughter, Bishop and Verona Williams. In early 2001, Pilar moved back to Longview and soon began working as a teacher at Trinity School of Texas. She would then meet and marry the love of her life, Stephen McLemore. They would eventually migrate to Lake Cherokee, where she thoroughly enjoyed living by the water. Pilar became a passionate volunteer and community leader. She raised money for almost every Cultural Arts group in Longview. She served on the Cultural Activities Advisory Commission and worked at the LMFA as their Education Director. Over the past few years she has been the amazing Education and Outreach Director at the Longview Symphony.
Pilar had a plethora of talents and interests, including hiking, art, cooking, gardening, reading, traveling with her family, and being awesome. She was a woman of great faith, a marvelous sense of humor, and a deep love of the land. She adored all of God’s creatures and was a passionate advocate for animal welfare. Everyone will miss her incredible curries and Christmas Eve buffets. All who knew her loved her infectious laugh and joyous personality.
Pilar McLemore was a woman full of joy and kindness, a dedicated wife, mother and friend. You could truly see the light of God in her life. She touched and changed many lives with her generosity, kindness and faith.
She was predeceased by her bonus dad, John Popma and her grandparents.
Pilar is survived by her husband, Stephen; son, Bishop; and daughter, Verona; mother, Jo Popma; father, Ronnie Blaske and his wife Brenda; sister, Niki Groce and husband Darren and their son Matt and daughter Rachel; sister, Kelley Trcka and her sons, Turner and Jaxon; sister, Kim Broughman and her husband, Jim, and her daughter, Kaley McClain; sister, Joy Popma Gray and her son, John Foster; brother, Edward Brandon Blaske and his partner, Tim Britt; brother, Ryan Blaske and wife, Courtney, their son and daughters, Allison, Alexander, Abigail and Adalyne; father-in-law and mother-in-law, B. Reagan and Debra McLemore; mother-in-law, Dr. Joy Mitchell; sister-in-law, Dr. Katherine Turner and husband, John and their son, Tobin; sister-in-law, Linda McLemore and sons, Benjamin and Theodore McLemore; and extended family, Vickey Wagner; Buddy Clem; Susie White; and Buster Clem; and beloved cousins.
Special thanks to our incredible Prayer Warriors who have been with us through her journey (you are wonderful!), to HeartsWay Hospice Longview, and Senior Pastor Jay Jackson and the First United Methodist Church in Longview. Your support and love meant so much to Pilar and her family.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Longview Symphony, Longview Animal Care & Adoption Center, or the Longview Arboretum in support of a memorial stone honoring Pilar. Pilar loved all three of these places.
A Life Celebration for Pilar McLemore will be held on Saturday, August 6, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Longview at 400 N. Fredonia. A reception will follow in the Cook Foyer and the Faith Center.