O. Leroy Elmore
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s/o Henry Jackson Elmore and Virginia "Vergie" Sue Fulfer, h/o Dortha 'Dottie' Merriman

Yesteryear Fulfer Family

O. Leroy Elmore
(December 19, 1916-January 18, 2004)
 
Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX)
January 21, 2004
Edition: FINAL
Page: 12B
 
Deceased Name: O. Leroy Elmore 
 
AUSTIN -- O. Leroy Elmore, 87, a man whose life was as full and whose heart was as wide as Texas itself and whose humble beginnings led to a life of giving to others, passed away Sunday, Jan. 18, 2004.
Funeral: 3 p.m. Wednesday at Tarrytown United Methodist Church, Austin. Graveside service: 1 p.m. Thursday in Greenwood Memorial Park, Fort Worth.
Pallbearers: John Harris, Glen Beaver, Dennis Holt, Norton Baker, Bret Burford, Jimmy Gresset, Terry Blankenship and Kip Kronenburg.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made in his memory to a charity of choice.
Leroy "Papa" Elmore was born Dec. 19, 1916, in Mountain Air, N.M., and was raised in Dickens County, Texas. After graduating from high school, he left and headed to California. He soon returned to save the family farm.
Unknown to him at the time, it was the beginning of his real estate adventure. In 1939, he met his life partner, Dortha "Dottie" Merriman. She was a beautiful, dark-haired rancher's daughter from Spur. They soon wed and a year later had their only child, Lynda Royce Elmore.
Papa recognized early in life that the Lord had provided him with a plan and a brain and he was going to use both. At first, driving a Texaco gasoline delivery truck and then, during World War II, driving troops across country for the Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma Bus Line, he covered enough terrain in Texas to know each wildflower by name.
He loved people. He loved meeting, laughing and doing business with them.
He was a real estate genius. It began in the 1940s, and he was recently recognized as having one of the first real estate licenses in the state. Over the years, he developed very diverse and successful businesses. He represented the Santa Fe Railroad. He was on the original Lubbock Airport Board and on the board of directors of the Great Plains Life Insurance Co.
In 1953, he began his radio business with partner Dave Pinkston at Station KDAV in Lubbock. It became the first full-time country music radio station in the country. He then co-owned stations in San Angelo, Amarillo and Colorado Springs. This venture brought about friendships with such stars as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, June Carter, Loretta Lyn and Ray Charles, to name a few.
In 1978, he and Dottie moved from Lubbock to Dallas, where he continued to sell land all over Texas. His expertise in real estate brought him to the attention of other real estate entrepreneurs such as Mac Pogue, Howard Hughes, Trammel Crow and Jerry Ford. He also partnered with Pat Merriman as the owners and operators of the H&R Block franchise for Texas.
The Elmores were members of First United Methodist Church of Lubbock and Lovers Lane United Methodist in Dallas.
In 1993, the Elmores moved to Austin to be near their daughter, Lynda, her children and their great-grandchildren.
Leroy never met a stranger. You felt as if you'd known him a lifetime after meeting him. His heart was pure, true and good. A handshake was all it took. He was a great storyteller. His life was a celebration. His family was his first priority in life. He was our biggest cheerleader and supporter during hard times. He would pick us up, dust us off and tell us to try again. His greatest love was his Dottie. She was the wind beneath his wings, his strength and his biggest fan.
He never liked to say good-bye. He would say, as you pulled out of the driveway or hung up the phone, "Be sweet and don't forget who loves you." Papa, we never did forget, nor will we ever.
Survivors: His precious wife of 64 years, Dottis Elmore; daughter, Lynda Menn and husband, Arnold; grandchildren, Lisa Bradley, Kristi Vaught and husband, Mark, and Bret Burford and wife, Electra; and great-grandchildren, Houston Bradley, Valerie Vaught, Bradley Vaught and Cole Burford.
Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home
Austin, (512) 452-8811

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