LE KILLGORE

SAN ANGELO - Le Killgore, 82, of San Angelo died Sunday, Oct. 19, 2008, after a fierce struggle with cancer. There will be on-going visitation at Johnson's Funeral Home throughout the week. Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1st Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Bill Proctor and the Rev. Denise Bloomquist co-officiating. Immediately after interment in Fairmount Cemetery the family invites everyone to join them at a luncheon at 1st Presbyterian to celebrate an amazing woman and a life well lived. Born March 16, 1926, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to Simon and Marion (Karpin) Kaplan; as a first generation American Le was raised with a passionate love of democracy and our political system. At the age of 12 she started her first career, as a writer, when she was paid for writing verses by a neighbor who was an artist for a greeting card company.Le attended Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where she completed a Bachelors Degree in three years with a double major in Comparative European Studies, taught entirely in French, and Performance Piano. Later she attended graduate school in child development at Auburn University, Auburn, Ala. After graduation from Skidmore she went to New York City to start her second career as a translator of bank business documents in three languages - French, Spanish and Russian. But she met a tall, handsome Texan and on July 24, 1948, she and Jim Killgore were married by James Pike, Dean of her church. While Jim attended SMU on the GI Bill, Le started her third career as one of the first certified music therapy teachers in the U.S. at private pre-schools in Dallas. She was also a member of a modern dance troupe and danced until two weeks before the birth of their first child. After Jim received a regular commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Air Force they went on active duty and started traveling the world. They had assignments in seven states and four foreign countries. They traveled extensively when they had the opportunity and visited most of the states and several other foreign countries. Everywhere they went they explored, met people, learned their history, culture and language and made life-long friends. Her three children were convinced that all dining room tables came with a typewriter built into one end and it only came off at holidays and if the parties were large enough. She was the editor of several Air Force Officers' Wives magazines, contributed numerous news articles and features to the Stars and Stripes and the Air Force Times, and was frequently a columnist for the base newspaper and a contributing writer to the nearby civilian newspaper. All this was done while serving as a Girl and Cub Scout leader, making costumes or clothes and being an incredible cook. After 22 years Jim's career brought him to Goodfellow Air Force Base and they decided to make San Angelo their home. Le started her fifth career as a print journalist at the San Angelo Standard-Times and went from writing the weather and obituaries to becoming the newspaper's first political affairs editor and the only woman political columnist for any newspaper west of I-35 from 1973-1992. She won many awards for her unflinchingly unbiased reporting on, among many other stories, the local schools, the city, medical issues, the changing politics of Mexico, the earthquake in Mexico City and the tornado in Saragosa, Texas, where she scooped all the network journalists because of her willingness to listen and her ability to speak Spanish. After 20 years Le retired from the Standard-Times and, with Walton Foster, started the first multi-media public affairs show in the U.S. and her sixth career as an electronic journalist. After one year the television part of their show was dropped and for the next 15 years she scheduled and hosted "Dialog"; a weekly one-hour public affairs show on four area radio stations. Her last show was broadcast on Sept. 28. Le also studied Tai Chi and received her white sash earlier this year. Along the way Le served on the boards of the Adult Literacy Council, El Camino Girl Scout Council, City Senior Citizen Advisory Board, Hope for the Holidays, Society of Professional Journalists (Concho Valley Chapter) and Hospice of San Angelo. She was a founding member of the Fiber Arts Guild of West Texas and served on the Deaconate of the 1st Presbyterian Church. Le's constant, and seventh, career was her family and she is survived by her three children and their spouses Lynne Killgore (Dave Michel), Robert (Hedy) Killgore and Andy (Judy) Killgore; her grandchildren Bridgette, Johnathan, Ian, Sean and Christopher; her sisters-in-law Eloise (George) D'Amore and Margaret Kaplan, her cousins Kay and Betty and three generations of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, Jim Killgore, her parents and her brothers Morris and Solomon. The family would like to thank Drs. John Harvey and Fazlur Rahman and their staffs, and the nursing staffs at Shannon 4-South and Skilled Nursing at Shannon-St John's. The care and compassion of these dedicated professionals made her fight easier. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Adult Literacy Council, Hospice of San Angelo or West Texas Rehabilitation Center.

October 26, 2008
Ted Lawler
I had the pleasure of getting to know Le when we both served on the board of the Adult Literacy Council. She was always ready to help others and you always knew where she stood on any given issue. She will be missed. Ted Lawler

October 24, 2008
John Lynch
I was lucky to get to work with Le, both as a reporter at KGKL radio, covering the city, and, as an ASU journalism intern at the Standard-Times in 1989. I learned two things from her: work hard and be prepared. Her passing truly marks the end of an era of journalism in San Angelo and Texas. Le was the kind of reporter we just don't see any more. Her death comes on the eve of my 19th anniversary as a reporter, and, although I haven't seen her since her retirement, I hope she knows how much she inspired me. -30-

October 24, 2008
Jeanette Gideon McNamee
I am one of the many journalists who first met Le when I was an intern at the Standard-Times and later had the enjoyment of working with her during the several years I was there. She was patient and an inspiration to young journalists and was always willing to answer questions. She always seemed to have a smile when she saw you and always had time to stop and talk to you. I feel like an era has truly come to a close. My thoughts are with her family. Try to take comfort in the fact that anyone who ever knew Le will always remember her.

October 23, 2008
Edna Sedeno
I had the pleasure of working with Le at the San Angelo Standard-Times. She was a great person. May the love of family and friends comfort and give you strength. WOur deepest sympathy, Domingo and Edna Sedeno

October 23, 2008
Colleen M. Kenyon
I miss Le now and will continue to do so. She was a close friend and part of my life for 60 years even though we seldom saw each other in person. Our husbands were in ROTC at SMU together. Jim and Tom chose different careers but our families remained dear friends over the years. She was vibrant to the end and I shall miss our intellectual conversations over the internet. She is the only person I've known who was a member of Mensa and she really kept my mind at work. My love to all of her family. I share their loss deeply. Colleen

October 23, 2008
Shirley Young Jinkins
I worked with Le at the Standard-Times during the 70s, and I always wanted to grow up and be like her. I am so glad I got to see this great lady one final time this summer at the S-T employees' reunion. She lived a full life, and one that should be studied at every journalism school!