Death certificate shows him as senile. He was not senile he had a stroke in Desoto, MO and suffered the effects of the stroke.

Born and raised in what is now Whatley, Clarke County, AL.
He was married three times he met and married his first wife Lucy J. Hardy in Texas. Lucy and two of his children died within three years of each other leaving him with 4 small children to raise. Lucy's father was an engineer for the sawmill where Lem worked and remained in Texas after Lem left for Alabama and is buried in the same cemetery as his daughter Lucy and two of Lem and Lucy's children.

Lem and second wife Ella Culpepper moved from Texas back to Clarke County, AL. They lived there for years and had children. Lem worked at a sawmill in Jackson and later for the railroad. Ella and Lem divorced and he left Alabama.

Working on the railroad took Lem to Memphis Tennessee where he met his third wife Leila Parker Pitts to who he was married to until his death.
Lem was working for the railroad in Desoto, MO when had a stroke. He was taken to a hospital in St. Louis, Mo and then transferred to the Old John Gaston Hospital in Memphis, Tn. because they had no relatives living in the area to care for the children so his wife could visit him and family could care for the children. They had 4 children age 6 years to 9 months surviving.
He is buried at the old Shelby County Cemetery. The cemetery is build over with Ed Rice Community Center on North Watkins Road.

For more Whatley information visit
http://www.gloverfamily.com/surnames/whatley.htm

Lem had 17 children:

Emma Mae Whatley
Anna Laura Whatley
Franklin Newton Whatley
Elizabeth Reese Whatley
Lucy J. Whatley
Tommy H. Whatley
Ernest Jack Whatley
Reginald Buster Whatley
Charles Wilton Whatley
Happy James Whatley
Louise Whatley
Dorothy Dodd Whatley
Infant Whatley
Annie Leila Whatley
Mary Alma Mae Whatley
Marjorie Della Marie Whatley
Violet Pauline Genevieve Whatley