Frances Thompson (Clark) Lenamon

Frances Thompson Clark Lenamon died peacefully Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017, in Austin, at the age of 98. She was the fourth of five children born to Carrie Mae Clark and Silas Wooten Clark, on Oct. 23, 1919, near Waxahachie. Frances was affectionally nicknamed “Tiny” by her family because she was small and frail. Her family was close, laughed all the time, and had great love for one another.
During the Great Depression of 1929, Frances and family moved to Mississippi, where she excelled as an athlete in basketball, baseball, and tennis. She was an All-State basketball player in 1936, and her athletic prowess earned her a scholarship at Senatobia College in Senatobia, Miss. In 1939, Frances and her family moved to Mexia. She married James Levi Lenamon, from nearby Groesbeck, in May 1941. James and Frances had six children: Leay, Sandra, Karen, James Jr., and twins Martha and Mary. The family moved from Mexia in 1951 to Ranger, where James Sr. worked for Service Pipe Line Company. From 1953 until James’ death in 1967, the family lived in Albany. Following the death of her husband in 1967, Frances moved to Denton, where she worked for the Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home and JC Penny. Frances returned to Mexia in 1973 and worked at the Mexia State School. In Mexia, Frances taught the Friendship Sunday school class and quilted with the Talent Circle. She also loved being close to her brother and sisters’ families in the Mexia area. In 1996, she moved to Austin to be closer to her children and extended family. In 2016, at age 96, Frances, moved to the Brookdale Senior Living Care Center in Austin. She was well-loved by all the caretakers there.
Frances, or “Mema,” as she was called by almost everyone in her family, was known for her many talents, mispronouncing athletes’ names, humming hymns and her competitive spirit. She was an excellent gardener, fisherwoman, cook, seamstress, Bible scholar, athlete and domino player. She loved traveling to visit her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She had fabulous birthday parties at age 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, and 95 with almost 100 attending her 95th birthday in Austin. Over the years she made quilts for almost everyone in the family, and dozens of these beautiful quilts were displayed at her 95th party.
Even though she came from very humble beginnings and endured many losses in her life, Frances continued to be a happy, optimistic person with a great love of the outdoors and life in general. She was a favorite mom of her children’s friends, a favorite aunt of nieces and nephews, a favorite of co-workers, and a special “Mema” to everyone who knew her. She was indeed a very special woman who had a very special life!
Frances was preceded in death by her husband, James Lenamon Sr., of Albany, in 1967; her son James Lenamon, Jr., of Abilene, in 1990; son-in-law Jody Beal, of Abilene, in 2010; and great-grandson Jacob Lenamon, of Abilene, in 2015. She was also preceded in death by her four siblings and in-laws: Howard and Frances Clark, of Mexia; Louise and George Carr, of Mexia; Katherine and Elvie McClendon, of Groesbeck; LaRue and Jake Rutherford, of Beaumont, as well as Lenamon brothers-in-law and sisters-in law from Groesbeck and Waco.
She is survived by five daughters: Leay Phillips and Darryl Phillips of Pflugerville; Sandra Beal of Abilene; Karen Kirkendall and Rick Kirkendall of Hull, Mass.; Martha Lenamon Hardaway and David Hardaway, of Austin; Mary Lenamon Gibson, of McKinney; and daughter-in-law Linda Lenamon Isbell and Wes Isbell, of Albany. She is also survived by 16 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren, many sweet nieces and nephews, and many friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Blair Stubbs Funeral Home in Mexia at 11 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 18. Frances will be buried in the Clark family plot in the Mexia City Cemetery. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Visitation with the family will be 5-7 p.m. Sunday, at Blair-Stubbs Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, Frances’ wishes were for donations to go to the First United Methodist Church, 203 N. Canton, Mexia, TX 76667.
Please visit www.blair-stubbs.com to sign the guest book or leave a message of condolence.