Elsie Moore

Services for Elsie Talbot Moore, 94, are set for 10:00 a.m. Tuesday at Whaley United Methodist Church with the Rev. Joe Ed Goolsby and the Rev. Jim Goodwin officiating. Burial will follow at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Cemetery in McKinney under the direction of Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home of Gainesville.

Mrs. Moore died peacefully at her residence Friday, October 23, 2009.

She was born in Culleoka, Texas, on November 2, 1914, to George Lawrence and Kate Akin McGraw. After graduating from high school and attending East Texas College, Elsie met and later married Rev. Fitzhugh M Talbot on September 1, 1932 when he was holding a Revival in Culleoka. Two days later they moved into their first parsonage as Fitzhugh was assigned pastor at Vickery Methodist Church near Dallas. She always felt it a great honor that he wanted her to share his life in the ministry.

Elsie has always been active in the church, spending most of her years working with youth. She loved serving the Church holding such offices as President of the United Methodist Women and District President of the Minister’s Wives Club in both Wichita Falls and Sherman, Texas.

It was a great honor and privilege for her to also serve as President of the North Texas Conference Minister’s Club where she was asked to speak at a dinner at the Dallas Sheraton Hotel in tribute to Sally Martin, the wife of the Bishop William C. Martin who was retiring from the ministry. She was especially pleased when a few days later Bishop Martin wrote complementing her on the speech and asking for a copy.

Elsie and Fitzhugh served 34 years in ministry in the North Texas Conference of which three years were at Whaley United Methodist Church from 1958 to 1961. They retired from Nocona and moved to Gainesville to be near her daughter, Becky Wilson.

Even after retirement Elsie continued to serve the church as United Methodist Women President, and member of the Administrative Board, Council on Ministries, Finance Committee, Parsonage Committee, Memorials Committee and as Communications Chairperson.. Aside from her church activities, Elsie worked and served as manager of T&L Shoes in Gainesville for a number of years.

Fitzhugh died in 1988 and after a time Elsie married Captain Daniel D. Moore with whom she had been friends for many years as his parents had been members of their church in Wylie, Texas.

Elsie and Dan moved to Rowlett where they spend much of their life together traveling the United States. Dan’s poor health prompted them to return to Gainesville where he died in 1997.

She is survived by a son and his wife, Rusty and Martha Jo Talbot of Mesquite, Texas; a daughter, Becky Wilson of Gainesville; grandchildren, Rodney Talbot of Mesquite, Jill Talbot of Stillwater, Oklahoma, Kaye and Derrick Campbell of Gainesville, and Byron and Janet Wilson of Culver City, California along with seven great-grandchildren; Randi Hughes, Lance Talbot, Indie Talbot, Natalie and Jessica Wilson and Jacob and Isabelle Campbell. She is also survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Joe and Bobbie McGraw of Garland, Texas and sister-in-law Maudine McGraw of Tulsa: cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers; Alton McGraw and G. L. McGraw.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 27.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Whaley United Methodist Church Building Fund, Home Hospice of Cooke County, P. O. Box 935, Gainesville TX 76241 or the charity of your choice.