Breckenridge Texan

The life of Mona Moore Hunter Lasater, 97, of Breckenridge, ended on August 5, 2023. A gathering in her memory will be held in the Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home Chapel of Memories at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, August 11, 2023, with Sonny McCauley officiating. She will be buried at Shady Grove Cemetery.  Per Mona’s wishes, there will be no visitation, and her burial will be a private event.

Mona was born on October 2, 1925, in Harpersville, Texas, to William T. (Tom) and Augusta (Gussie) Mae Mueller Moore. When she was two, the family moved to a farm near Eolian, where she grew up living the life she loved alongside animals and nature. She graduated as a salutatorian from Breckenridge High School in 1942, then returned the following year for a postgraduate course, after which she spent a year at her first job as a statement clerk at First National Bank. She then attended TCU and studied voice and music education.

On September 29, 1947, Mona and F.C. (Fred) Hunter were married and made their home in Fort Worth, where Mona worked at the first Striplings location and at Cox Department Stores and attended Brantley Draughon Business College. Their son, F.C. (Chip) Hunter, Jr., was born on June 7, 1949.

Mona worked for a short while for a piston-ring manufacturer and then as executive secretary to the president of a company engaged in building and operating resort hotels and country clubs in several states. Her husband died in 1955.

Though she loved her job, she eventually gave it up to become the owner of a print shop and direct mail business. Her son died in 1973.

In 1974, Mona married Jodie Ray Lasater, and in 1975, they moved back to Breckenridge to care for her parents and, once again, involve herself in farming and ranching. She renewed thirty-year-old friendships and made new ones, joined the First Christian Church, adapted quickly again to the land, and became a part of the community. Always loving animals, Mona had served as President of the Tarrant County Humane Society and, back at home, became co-founder, officer, and director of the Stephens County Humane Society until she reached the age when she was no longer capable. Helping to build the current animal shelter was one of the most satisfying things she ever did, and witnessing its closing in the early 2000s was one of the most disappointing things in her life.

Mona was grateful for the friendships she knew, especially those who were loyal in her last years, and for the international circle of like-minded folks with whom she shared her music.

Mona loved farming and the work that went with it, books, music, animals in general, and dogs in particular. At one time, she had as many as seven dogs and always wanted more. Animal welfare was her passion and something she could get very serious about. She tried extremely hard to better the lives of each and every creature that crossed her path.

In remembrance of Mona, please be kind to a helpless member of the animal kingdom and/or by making a small donation to your favorite Humane Society (preferably the Stephens County organization). Those donations can be left at Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home, and condolences can be shared online at meltonkitchens.com.