Leota Moore

Leota Moore

Leota Moore, 92, of Kirksville passed away Saturday, November 1, 2014, at Northeast Regional Medical Center.

The daughter of Loyd and Mildred (Kitterman) Moore, she was born in Glenwood, MO, on February 1, 1922. The family moved to Downing, MO, in 1927 and she graduated from high school there in 1939.

She was married to Harry Lee Moore (not related) on August 18, 1940, and to this union two daughters were born, Shirley Moore Stice and Charlotte Moore Mathews.

Leota taught one year in a country school. She worked as a funeral director at the Moore Funeral Home in Downing for several years, and she maintained her license throughout her life. Her husband died in 1971, and she sold the funeral home and worked as a bookkeeper. She attended St. Paul’s School of Theology and took her required college hours at Northeast Missouri State University.

She began preaching in 1972, working in the Scotland County Larger Parrish from 1972 to 1974, preached in the Greentop circuit for two years, and was appointed to Faith United Methodist Church in 1976, where she continued her ministry until 1987. She was transferred to Bourbon, MO, United Methodist Church until she retired in 1989. She moved back to Kirksville and was the Minister of Visitation at First United Methodist Church. She became an ordained minister in 1977 and an Associate member of the Conference in 1981.

Leota enjoyed her family and was proud that she officiated at the weddings of all of her grandchildren and baptized most of her great grandchildren. She also enjoyed keeping in touch with people, keeping up on technology, and reading.

Leota is survived by her daughters, Shirley Stice and husband Roy of Kahoka, MO, and Charlotte Mathews of Kirksville; five grandchildren, Greg and Rosemary Stice of Urbandale, IA, Cindy Mathews of Columbia, MO, Randy Mathews of Harrisburg, MO, Gayla and Stevan Vukcevich of New Carlisle, IN, and Faith and Brian Waschenbach of Kahoka, MO; and eight great grandchildren, Mickyla Mathews, Spencer Waschenbach, Bobbi Mathews, Sydney Waschenbach, Matthew Vukcevich, Laurel Stice, Ann Vukcevich, and Hope Stice.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and a grandson, Douglas Lee Stice.

The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at First United Methodist Church with Reverend Richard Northcutt officiating. Burial will be in Downing Cemetery in Downing, MO.

Pallbearers will be Greg Stice, Randy Mathews, Brandon Clark, Mickyla Mathews, Stevan Vukcevich, and Melvin Fortney. Honorary bearers will be Roy Stice, Dick Marts, Carlos Coy and Brian Waschenbach.

Visitation with the family will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at the

Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home
2100 E. Shepherd Ave.
Kirksville, MO 63501 660-665-2233

Memorials in memory of Leota are suggested to the First United Methodist Church.