Jimmie J.R. Lemaster

J. R. LeMaster March 29, 1934 - June 29, 2014 Jimmie Ray LeMaster of Waco passed away Sunday, June 29, 2014, at his residence. His Memorial Service will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, July 4, at First Presbyterian Church of Waco, 1100 Austin Avenue with Rev. Dr. Leslie King officiating. J.R., the second child of Helen and Dennis LeMaster, was born March 29, 1934, in Pike County, Ohio. He attended Camp Creek Township Elementary School before moving to Washington Court House, Ohio, where he attended junior high and high school, moving to New Boston, Ohio, in his final year. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1951 and served four years. Upon being discharged from the Navy, LeMaster moved to Defiance, Ohio, where he worked in an iron foundry and attended classes at Defiance College. Upon graduation, he taught in local high schools before returning to his alma mater to teach in 1962, having completed a Master of Arts degree at Bowling Green State University. While working at Defiance College, J.R. received his Ph.D. degree from Bowling Green in 1970. He taught at Defiance College for 15 years before moving his family to Waco to teach at Baylor University in 1977. When he retired from Baylor in 2006, he had taught for 47 years, including two years in Beijing, People's Republic of China. J.R. was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Waco. J.R. was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Wanda; his son, Lon; and a brother, Dennis. He is survived by his two daughters, Lisa LeMaster and Lynn DeNae LeMaster; his brother, Marvin; and two step-brothers and a step-sister in Ohio. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to "The J.R. and Wanda LeMaster Scholarship Fund in American Studies" at Baylor University, Caritas, Meals and Wheels or Mission Waco. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WHBfamily.com.