Mary Moore

Mary Moore, 93, died on Dec. 30 at Life Care Center in Ritzville. Mary was born on Oct. 8, 1920, in Manitoba, Canada, as the second of five children. Her father died when she was a young girl and her mother was the family supporter. Mary quit school in 10th grade to work to help with family expenses and needs.

She met her future husband Wilf Moore when she was working in the local grocery store. They were married Oct. 15, 1942, in Canada. Wilf was a pilot in the RCAF at the time of their marriage and their first child was born in Barrie, Ontario.

Soon after the war they relocated to Texas to follow a new pursuit of crop dusting. A second son was born in Texas. In 1949 they traveled north to visit Mary’s mother in Vancouver, BC. On their way back south, they stopped in Washington where Wilf took a job as a crop duster with Central Aircraft in Yakima, which was expanding into Ritzville in 1949.

In 1950 a third son was born in Ritzville and in 1952 Central Aircraft went out of business and Wilf and Mary started Moore Aircraft. Mary spent all the rest of her years in Ritzville. She raised three sons, was instrumental in the lives of her grandchildren and fondly called “Grandma Raisin” by the great grandchildren.

She was a strong and independent woman largely due to family and circumstances. Her dream was to have her own home and family and she realized that dream. She spent a life devoted to family as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her father, mother, three brothers and her husband of 49 years.

She is survived by three sons, Robert Charles (Laurice), Richard David (Marilyn) and Randall Henry (Callie) Moore; eight grandchildren; Todd, Lisa, Cory, Suzanne, Lance, Bob, Cassie and Brady, and 18 great grandchildren.

She is survived by a sister Sapphira Blahey in Canada and many other family members in Canada.

A viewing was held at Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville on Jan. 3 with graveside services at Ritzville Memorial Cemetery on Saturday, Jan. 4. The funeral followed at Trinity United Methodist Church. Memorials may be directed to Life Care Center at 506 South Jackson Street or Rose Garden Estates at 406 South Cascade Street, Ritzville, WA 99169. Danekas Funeral Home in Ritzville is entrusted with arrangements.