In Memory

Ronald Lemme

Ronald Lemme

9/26/96

 
Ronald T. Lemme
 
The funeral of Ronald T. Lemme, 86, of Thousand Oaks, Calif., formerly of 215 Ivanhoe Way, Bloomington, will be at 12:30 p.m. Friday at Beck Memorial Home, Bloomington, the Rev. Philip Queen officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Gardens, Bloomington. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Friday at the memorial home. He died at 9 p.m. Friday (Sept. 20, 1996) in Thousand Oaks. Memorials may be made to the Illinois State University Scholarship Fund.
 
Survivors include one daughter Sue Ann Lemme, Los Angeles; one son Ronald Dale Lemme, Wheaton; and one sister, Ruth Lemme Johnson, Bloomington.
 
Also surviving are five grandchildren, Brett Alan Coup, Lauri Ann Coup, Matthew Thomas Lemme, Michael Thomas Lemme, Michael Perry Lemme, and Rebecca Kriste Lemme.
 
He was born March 8, 1910 in Urbana, a son of Fred and Ada Mozingo Lemme. He married Lucille A. Cook Nov. 24, 1934. She died June 15, 1993.
 
One brother, Earl Lemme; and one sister, Esther Lemme Inman, preceded him in death.
 
Mr. Lemme graduated from Bloomington High School and Illinois State Normal University, where he received a master’s degree. He was a star halfback and co-captain of the 1928 BHS championship football team. The Sunday, Nov. 25, 1928 Daily Pantagraph called him “Bloomington’s brilliant halfback…the best back of the year”, and “the key man of the BHS team.”
 
The was the president of the junior class at Bloomington High School. He continued to be a star halfback on the football team of Illinois State Normal University.
 
He taught civics, coached football and track and was one of the first driver training teachers in Illinois. He taught for over 40 years and retired in 1974. He helped develop the driver training program for the State of Illinois. He was a member of Kappa Phi Kappa. He advised, taught, and coached at Bloomington High School for all of his adult working years.
 
Ronald Lemme’s life-long work was a contribution to the lives of the children, youth and adults of Bloomington. In addition to being a teacher and coach, he was an advisor to the youth of Bloomington in his many years as a homeroom teacher, Sunday school teacher, and youth fellowship leader.
 
He was a longtime member of Second Presbyterian Church of Bloomington.
 
After his wife’s death in 1993, he moved to Thousand Oaks to be with his daughter.