Ellen Frances Moore
Ellen Frances Wills Moore, age 90, passed away Friday, December 9, 2022, in Breckenridge, Texas. A family grave-side service will be held at 4:00 p.m. Monday, December 12, at the Breckenridge Cemetery. Her memorial service will be held Saturday, December 17, at 1:30 p.m. at the First Christian Church, 101 E Williams Street in Breckenridge, with Reverend Nathan (Sonny) McCauley officiating, under the direction of Morehart Mortuary. Visitation will follow the memorial service at the church.
Frances was born April 4, 1932, in Denton, Texas. She was the third daughter of Allen Addison Wills and Winnie Ella Crowder Wills. She grew up in Denton where she graduated from Denton High School in 1949. She attended North Texas State College.
Frances always told the family that she received her MRS certificate on February 20, 1951. That’s the day she married the love of her life, Virgil E Moore Jr., who was also attending North Texas State at the time. The couple was married in Corsicana, Texas. That day, coincidentally, ended her college career.
Soon Frances discovered that her new husband was quick to take better newspaper job opportunities when they became available. After living in Corsicana for four months, the young couple moved to Dallas. They then moved to Del Rio, then Edinburg, then Eastland and Hereford, then back to Eastland, to Bowie, Archer City, and finally in 1963 to Breckenridge where they lived out the rest of their 59 years of marriage.
Along the way, Frances became not only the mother of two boys, but carved her own newspaper career, having worked as Society Editor for the Eastland Telegram, Archer County News and Breckenridge American. She later purchased the Throckmorton (Texas) Tribune in 1975 with her son Richard. She commuted from Breckenridge daily until 1980 to serve as Editor and Publisher of the weekly newspaper.
She was a member of the First Christian Church of Breckenridge since 1963 and served in many capacities throughout her 58 years of service. Frances was an avid golfer, bowler and bridge (or any kind of game) player for many years, even winning the Breckenridge ladies’ golf club championship one year and attending the state bowling tournament several years. She was a talented writer and seamstress who loved reading and, most of all, being with her family.
Preceding her in death are her husband, Virgil E Moore Jr.; her parents; a son, George Richard Moore; a brother, Hubert Wills; a nephew, Scott Wills; and sisters and brothers-in-laws, Martha Jane and Hoyt Reed, Peggy and Joe Sims.
Survivors include a son, Virgil Moore III and wife Elaine; a daughter-in-law, Carla Moore; three grandchildren, Van Moore and wife Jenny, Vince Moore and wife Abby, and Sarah Loffler and husband J.D, all of Breckenridge; step-grandchild, Jocelyn Davis; seven great-grandsons, Evan, Aaron, Gabryel, Ryan, Marvin, Max, and Jaxsyn; step-great-grandsons, Dylan and Timothy; sister-in-law, Carole Wills, and a huge extended family that she loved dearly.
Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church of Breckenridge Helping Hand Fund.
