Who was this lady that embraced life with such infectious enthusiasm to everyone she met? Emajo Agnew McLendon Lewis. She was born in 1925, the daughter of Luna Hamilton Agnew and Joe B. Agnew, an ordained traveling evangelist who also worked as an auto mechanic. After graduating high school, she worked as a photographer.
In 1946, following World War II, she married Charles H. McLendon and raised her family on a farm in Conyers. She was an artist whose paintings hung in her home in Bozeman and later in her apartment at Highgate Senior Living. Emajo was known affectionately as the "cow-woman." She plowed her fields, raised "vealer" calves and rented milk cows to local dairymen to supplement their milk production. She worked for the Georgia Family and Children Services helping families in need and in later years managed a clothing store. She served on committees and boards of numerous organizations and was voted "homemaker of the year."
Emajo was mother to four boys. Marcus McLendon, her youngest, died at birth. Walter Herschel McLendon died as a young adult. She is survived by her oldest son and daughter-in-law Charles H. Jr. and Gena McLendon. He is a resident of Conyers and owner/managing general agent of Affiliated Insurance Services, Inc. His wife Gena McLendon is director and general manager of Merryvale Assisted Living Center in Oxford Georgia. She is also survived by her son and daughter-in-law Joe F. and Renee’ McLendon, 18-year residents of Bozeman, Mont., and long-time owner/manager of Sundance Electrical Contracting.
She is grandmother to Melissa, Jake, Kristen, Brandy and Brooke McLendon, children of Joe McLendon; and Charles H. McLendon III and Jenny Bishop, children of Charles McLendon Jr. She is great-grandmother of Wyatt and Grant McLendon, children of Charles H. McLendon III. There is also one more great-granddaughter on the way. She lost her first husband, Harry McLendon, after a long illness. Later, she remarried Mr. James Lewis, a long-time resident of Covington who was retired from the small business administration and a practicing attorney. Sometime after their marriage they moved west to Belgrade, Mont., and began a new life together. Mr. Lewis later passed away of Alzheimer’s disease.
After moving to Belgrade in 1996, Emajo embraced her new community with the same enthusiasm and love; she never met a stranger. She was an active supporter of the Belgrade Baptist Church and the Belgrade/Bozeman community, active in the Senior Community Center and eagerly supporting the Rodeo Bible Camp and the Friday night car races.
Emajo passed away on June 11. She lived well, laughed often, and loved much. We invite you to join us in the celebration of the fullness of this life — a life full of enthusiasm, humor, grace, and love. Funeral services were held June 15 in Bozeman with interment at Sunset Hills Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.dahlcares.com.
