Obituary of Georgia Lemmon

Georgia P. Lemmon, 82, beloved wife, mother, sister, and friend, died peacefully on Monday, June 14, 2010 at The Pines in Davidson, N.C. Georgia was born in Thomasville, Ga., to Margaret Boyd McKay and William John Powell. After graduating from Agnes Scott College, she finished the Presbyterian School of Christian Education in Richmond. There she met her husband of 57 years, Frank Lemmon. She spent most of her adult life in Raleigh, N.C., then moved with Frank to Davidson in 2000. She served in many roles: pastor's wife, mother to three children, and church volunteer, to name a few. In the 1970s she joined Frank in a pastoral counseling practice, where her empathy and listening skills were put to good use. After retirement, she remained active in church life, she visited people in nursing care, and she maintained deep friendships. She and Frank enjoyed traveling to see their children and to attend family weddings. Georgia had an abiding love for her sisters, children, grandchildren, great granddaughter, and her many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews. A woman of letters, she wrote to friends, to her children, and to nieces in college. She compiled a book containing letters that her father wrote to her mother during their courtship. And she wrote enough thank-you notes to fill a mail truck. Georgia was attuned to the needs of others. Her passion for helping was expressed in many ways. She served briefly as a missionary in Mexico, labored to improve race relations, worked as a precinct captain for the Democratic Party, and traveled to wartime Nicaragua with a group working for peace. She also volunteered at the Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center in Raleigh, named in memory of her third child, who had Down syndrome. Every day of her life, Georgia acted on her belief that we can all work together in our faith communities, through our political system, and within our interpersonal relationships to make lives better for all. Georgia will be remembered for treating everyone she met with kindness. Georgia and Frank, who died in July of 2009, had a marriage marked by unusual closeness and utter devotion to each other during times of trouble and times of joy. Georgia is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Lella and Harry Jones; son and daughter-in-law John and Susan Lemmon; daughter Laura Thise; grandchildren Scott Lemmon and wife Monica, Nick Lemmon, and Olivia Moulton and husband Richard; and great-granddaughter Claire Moulton. A memorial service will be held in the Lingle Chapel at Davidson College Presbyterian Church in Davidson on Thursday, June 17, at 10 a.m., with the Rev. Bill Tiemann presiding. A reception will follow the service. Graveside services will be held on Friday, June 18, at 12:30 p.m. at Roselawn Cemetery in Marion, Va., with the Rev. Alan Gray officiating. Funeral arrangements are by Seaver-Brown Funeral Service of Marion, Va. The family thanks Dr. Ron Beamon, the loving staff of The Pines at Davidson, and the dedicated team at Hospice and Palliative Care -- Charlotte Region for the superb care they gave Georgia. The family requests that donations be made to the Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center, c/o Frankie Lemmon Foundation, 2301 Stonehenge Drive, Suite 102, Raleigh, NC 27615.