Rev. John Patrick McLemore

The Funeral Service for John McLemore will be at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, February 28, 2015, at Central Christian Church. Officiating will be the Rev. Dr. Tom Jewell, the Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, the Rev. Pamela Holt, the Rev. Michael Davison. Arrangements are by Anderson-Burris Funeral Home & Crematory. It’s said that the whole is better than the sum of its parts which is certainly true of John Patrick McLemore. A husband, father, grandfather, brother-in-law, friend, civic leader, religious leader, as well as a wonderful pastor, John embodied the greatest characteristics a servant of God can. Born on August 11, 1946 in Ponca City to John Gerald and Myrl Juanita Durrett McLemore, who predeceased him, John spent most of his younger life in Oklahoma City, a student in the Putnam City School district. Called by God to ministry in his teens, John attended Phillips University, and graduated from Central State College in 1982. He attended Seminary at Phillips Theological Seminary, graduating in 1996. A myriad of life experiences helped flesh out the man John was meant by God to be and brought him to fullness as a minister of great strength, vitality, intellect, and, most of all, love for God and Lord Jesus Christ. In his civic life, John served on various boards, including the YMCA, Rotary, 4RKids, Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Hospice Circle of Love, Phillips University Alumnae Association, Phillips University Legacy Foundation, and others, showing his belief in the many ways people can serve people. In his faith life, he was the Senior Minister of Central Christian Church for 14 years, from where he retired at the end of 2014. He fervently served God in ways large and small, and came to be loved and respected by the whole faith community. He served his denomination well, also. He was Associate Regional Minister for the region of Oklahoma where he served over 60 churches as their liaison with the region. He sat on the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the U.S. and Canada, and, as well, served on the denominational Business Committee. He served the rights of women in several capacities and advocated for the elderly by his service with the Disciples Retirement Community of Oklahoma and the National Benevolent Association. While in bi-vocational ministry in the 1980’s and 1990’s, he managed a multi-million dollar computer business, while serving as pastor in Purcell at the First Christian Church. He has also served the First Christian Church in Perry, the Putnam City Christian Church in Oklahoma City and the First Christian Church in Kingfisher. His support of the Region of Oklahoma was evident in his being Regional Moderator, a member of the Regional Board, and his general sharing of the Region’s place in the faith community. He participated in several mission trips to places such as New Orleans after Katrina, Joplin, Vietnam and was convinced of mission’s place in the very center of the church. A man of very great intellect, John’s sermons were rays of light in the sometimes murky air of Christian faith without being made up of $5.00 words or concepts from theologians whose work was too difficult to share in a sermon. He was a wonderful baritone and, sometimes, he sang during his sermons to illustrate a certain point which was extremely exciting for congregants to hear. His determination and grit enabled him to serve God in multiple ways and always kept him on the path to the Kingdom of God. John, though his soul has escaped this earth, is incredibly loved and missed by his wife of 46 years, Carolyn Miller McLemore, his two children John Patrick McLemore, II and wife Lisa, Katherine Elizabeth McLemore and partner Ricky Casto, grandchildren Arielle Elspeth McLemore and partner Nick Tocco, Tristan Braeshie McLemore and partner Chelsea Hogan, Richard Casto, Madyson Jennerjohn, Catherine Casto, Cayla Casto, Annabelle Aria Casto, and Giovanna Sophia Casto. He loved and served and laughed (you have missed something if you haven’t heard John laugh) and had a lovely sonorous speaking voice that might cause one to think he was God’s anointed spokesperson. So many of us………family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances……. miss you, John. Now with God you are who you were with us, of that we have no doubt, serving our Father in ways not possible here. And, as we always say in the family, sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite, just the love bugs. Peace dude. And lastly, ‘ee ya. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the John McLemore Legacy Fund at Central Christian Church, Heifer Project International or Week of Compassion, all to be administered through the funeral home.

Rev. John Patrick McLemore

August 11, 1946 - February 14, 2015