Iris Lathanne Madere, 88, a wife, mother and a volunteer who spent much of her life helping other people, died at her home in Livingston on Dec. 30.
Mrs. Madere, the daughter of Samuel and Iona McWhirter, was born Nov. 1, 1925, in Humble. The McWhirter family lived in towns throughout southeast Texas and eventually moved to LaPorte, where Mrs. Madere graduated from La Porte High School. She was a basketball player, homecoming queen and a drummer in the marching band.
In the 1940s the family settled in Texas City, where they would live for decades. In Texas City, she met and married Warren Joseph Madere, who followed Louisiana relatives to Texas. Iris and Warren met before the start of World War II. They were married when his stint in the U.S. Army was completed.
Mrs. Madere survived the Texas City Explosion of 1947. At the time she worked in a laboratory not far from the SS Grandcamp, a vessel that was carrying a load of ammonium nitrate and was docked at the Port of Texas City. She was working in the laboratory when the ship exploded. Amazingly she crawled out of the lab and made her way to safety, her face and eyes covered with melted plaster that had dripped from the lab ceiling. An account of the experience, written in her words, is included in the book We Were There: Personal Accounts by Survivors of the Texas City Disaster – April 16, 1947.
During her years in Texas City, she was a member of the Seventh Street Church of Christ. She was the happiest when she was serving as a volunteer, and she tirelessly reached out to make a positive contribution to her community. She visited those who were ill; contributed decadently delicious desserts to local bake sales; and even delighted children as Boo Boo The Clown during Texas City's Diamond Jubilee.

In Livingston, she was a member of the Livingston Church of Christ.

Mrs. Madere is survived by her husband, Warren, of Livingston; son, Michael, of Kingwood; and a brother, Samuel McWhirter II, of Baytown.

She is preceded in death by a son, Mark, of Livingston; a sister, Doris McGwier, of Arvada, Colo.; and her parents.

Services will be held at Livingston Church of Christ on Jan. 2 at 9 a.m. Burial is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Jan. 2 at Grace Memorial Park, 10708 Hwy. 6, Hitchcock.