Wanda LeMaster

Wanda May LeMaster passed away Tuesday, March 2, 2010, at Providence Hospital. Memorial Services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Monday, March 8, at First Presbyterian Church, 1100 Austin Avenue, Waco, with the Reverend David Hyers officiating.

Wanda was born on July 22, 1938, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to Paul and Dorothea Ohnesorge. She attended Concordia Elementary and Concordia High School in Fort Wayne. After graduating, she married her high school sweetheart, Ray Bowers, a commissioned lieutenant in the U.S. Army who died in a parachute jump shortly thereafter.

She started taking night classes at Indiana-Purdue University where she met her husband of 43 years, Jimmie LeMaster. She attended The Defiance College, where he taught undergraduate classes. Earning her B.A. in Psychology there, she continued her education at Baylor University after the LeMasters moved to Waco in 1977. She received her Master’s in Educational Psychology from Baylor and later served as Foreign Student Advisor.

Wanda and Jimmie lived and worked in China 1980 – 1981 and 1985 – 1986 and returned on several occasions, during which times Jimmie lectured at the Beijing International Studies University. They traveled extensively during their years in China.

In Waco, Wanda served in various capacities in many philanthropic and service organizations, including Waco Newcomers, Baylor Round Table (President), Brazos Forum, Waco Symphony Council, Waco Welcome Corps, Historic Waco Foundation, Waco Literary Club, Current Event Club (President), Meals on Wheels, PEO, BF Chapter (President), and other social and civic clubs in Waco. She was also a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church of Waco, where she served on the Board of Elders at the time of her death.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Paul and Dorothea Ohnesorge of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and son Lon of Houston, Texas. She is survived by her husband Jimmie, and daughters Lisa and DeNae LeMaster, both of Phoenix, Arizona; two brothers, James of San Diego, California, David of South Bend, Indiana, and sister Judy Allee of Seattle, Washington.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to PEO, Chapter BF, (Attention Carol Wood, 394 Old Crawford Road, Crawford, Texas, 76638), First Presbyterian Church of Waco, or Caritas.

Funeral services are pending.