Doris Jean Lamar McLemore

Doris Jean Lamar McLemore was born April 16, 1927 in Lawton, Oklahoma to Mae Lamar of Gracemont and was raised by her grandparents, Walter and Hushseah Lamar, along with her brother Newton. She passed from this life on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, at the age of 89.

Doris was a proud member of the Wichita Tribe. She graduated from Riverside Indian School with the class of 1947. After 30 years of service, she retired from Riverside Indian School. She had also worked at Concho Indi­an School, Ma & Pa's Cafe and at the Wichita Tribe of Oklahoma.

She began working with Dr. David Rood from the University of Colorado in the mid-1960s on their 40+ year ad­venture of preserving the Wichita lan­guage, as she was the last fluent Wich­ita speaker. Doris also collaborated with WCEP cultural planner Gary McAdams to preserve the Wichita language.

Doris also served in numerous posi­tions with the Wichita Service Club, serving meals and honoring tribal vet­erans. She was also an Honorary Grandpar­ent to the Wichita Little Sisters.

Doris was preceded in death by her grandparents, Walter and Husheah Lamar; her mother, Mae Lamar Davis; three brothers, Newton Lamar, Elliott Davis and Emerson Davis; her sister, Latatia Rolon Medina; her daughter, Linda Carol Moody and her grand­daughter, Mandy Jo Moody.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Doyle McLemore of Anadar­ko, and Peggy and Steve Evans of Fort Cobb; five grandchildren, Debbie Guti­errez of Oklahoma City, Damon and Kathy Evans of Texas, Jerry and Sandi Moody of Midwest City, Tammy and Larnardo Conley of Oklahoma City and Sarah Castillo of Anadarko; seven great-grandchildren; a sister, Margie Tanner; special friend and sister-in-law, Catherine Lamar; special grand­son, Edward Rocke Whitewolf, and numerous nieces, nephews and other family relatives.

(From obituary printed in the Wichita Tribal News, July/August 2016 issue)

More articles and video about Doris Jean Lamar McLemore:

• Doris McLemore, Last Fluent Speaker of the Wichita Language, Walks On (Indian Country Today, Oct. 6, 2016)
• The Last Living Speaker of Wichita (National Public Radio, Jan. 30, 2008)
• Last Voice (Video by Travis Heying)