Kathleen Moore

Kathleen (Kathy) E. Moore, was an Arizona pioneer woman, schoolteacher, mentor to many, and a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She passed away peacefully on July 8, 2020 after getting the chance to visit with many of her family members.



Kathy was born on New Year's Day 1932 in Prescott, Arizona to Minnie Mae Sorrells Davis and Boyd A. Davis. She was born at home on Maple Street to families that had come west from Texas and New Mexico to pioneer in Arizona. Born during the Great Depression, Kathy's parents both had to work full-time, so she spent most of her younger years growing up on the Sorrells' Ranch in Peeples Valley. She lived with her Grandma Sorrells (Mattie), whom she called Mom Sorrells. Mattie homesteaded, owned and raised both cattle and Angora goats there in Peeples Valley.



When she was old enough, Kathy attended grade school at the one room schoolhouse in Peeples Valley with her two uncles, Clifford and Lee Sorrells. Throughout the school year, she would spend time exploring the hills of Peeples Valley and spend her summers with the Davis family in Hillside and Yava. After grade school, Kathy moved to Prescott to attend Prescott High School and upon her graduation, Kathy went on to attend Northern Arizona University, which at that time was known as the Arizona State College, in Flagstaff.



One weekend Kathy had an opportunity to visit her Uncle Clifford, who now lived in Phoenix. At that time, Clifford was the head of the Game & Fish for Arizona. During her visit, a gentleman who worked for Clifford stopped by. He was Kearney Moore, and with him was his wife Nell and their son's dog, Butchie. They were on their way to pick up their son, Roy, who was returning for a visit after completing Marine boot camp at Camp Pendleton. Kearney invited everyone to the airport to meet his son coming off the plane, and of course, everyone went. Once Roy's plane landed, everyone walked over to greet Roy except Kathy, who had stayed back to take care of Butchie while they visited. Well, Roy needed to see his dog, but didn't expect to see the beautiful young lady, his future wife, holding Butchie's leash. Roy and Kathy would continue a long distance courtship, writing and an occasional visit at one of the parents' homes. Roy's battalion was called up to deploy in 1952, so they decided they would get married before he had to leave. After a short honeymoon, Roy went back to the Marines and Kathy went back to finish her Teaching degree at the Arizona State College.



After Kathy graduated from college and Roy was out of the Marines, the couple moved back to Roy's family ranch in Congress, the Moore Ranch. Kathy would help on the ranch and fill in as a substitute teacher while they were starting their family. She taught in Congress, Aguila and Parker before settling down at the ranch to be a mom when the last of their three boys was born in 1960. In 1963, Peter Kiewit & Sons Company was constructing Highway 93 through the ranch, and Roy was able to hire on as a carpenter. For the next four years, the family moved many times, to various highway jobs, both inside and outside of the state. But in 1967, Kathy decided that her boys needed a stable school environment and moved back to the ranch in Congress. She enrolled the boys in the Wickenburg schools and started her 21-year teaching career with the Wickenburg Public School System.



Mrs. Moore would come to be known as the teacher with the paddle made from a softball bat, and most of her students in Wickenburg could recall being introduced to it, although Mom had said she really didn't paddle that many! Kathy was an advocate for children, taking notice of those who were in need and doing what she could to improve their lives whether that was improving their studies or picking them up on the way to school when the weather was bad. Kathy loved to teach, and she loved her students all through her teaching career. In 1988, Kathy retired from the Wickenburg School System. Even though she was no longer teaching, she could still remember each child she taught; if not by name, she could tell you where they sat in her classroom. She touched and made a difference in many children's lives.



During the time she was teaching, Kathy was a member of organizations and boards who served the community: Business and Professional Women (BPW) and the Wickenburg Hospital Board. She enjoyed being part of BPW where she could help and mentor young women who were starting their careers and college educations.



After retiring from teaching, Kathy was an active member of the Yavapai and Arizona State, Cattle Growers and Cowbelle Associations. Among the many things the Cowbelles accomplished one important to her was raising money to provide scholarships to deserving young people going to college. Kathy served in both leadership and member positions, including serving on the Arizona Literacy Committee for 11 years and was instrumental in starting the"AG in the Class" program. This program educated public school teachers from around the state on the importance of the Agriculture industry. She loved this program and spent many hours on buses, on field trips and in classrooms teaching about the contribution that farming, dairies and ranching make in Arizona. In 2007 Kathy was awarded the Arizona Cattlewoman of Year award.



When she wasn't working in a classroom or on a committee, Kathy and Roy spent many years traveling the United States and the world, going to places they had always dreamed about seeing.



Kathy enjoyed the life and the career she was given, but what she truly enjoyed was her family. Her eyes would light up every time, no matter how she felt physically, when she saw her great-grandchildren. Her husband Roy proceeded her after 63 1/2 years of marriage, and she is survived by 3 sons and grand-children: Alan (Cindy) Moore of Glendale and their children Shawna and Richard, Mark (Mary) Moore of Congress and their children Michelle, Matthew and Michael, and Jack (Vivian) Moore of Wickenburg and their children Kathleen, Rachael and Jackson. She is also survived by 6 great grand-children: Sarah (Michelle and Chris), Brooke and Carter (Michael and Tiffany), Wesley (Richard and Sarah) and Collin and Charlotte Grace (Kathleen and Cody). Additionally, she is survived by her sisters, Mae (Larry) Parker and Ellarose Gaston, who she would call on the phone often, and their families.



Kathy will be greatly missed.



Memorial services for Kathy will be held on Saturday, July 18th at the first Presbyterian Church in Wickenburg for the immediate family. A Celebration of Life will be planned for the fall for all to attend.



Memorial donations can be made in Kathy's name to:



Yavapai Cattle Growers Scholarship fund, c/o Pamela Teskey, YCGA Secretary, 27447 E. Dugas Rd, Mayer, AZ 86333



Wickenburg Business & Professional Women's Scholarship, P.O. Box 2044, Wickenburg, AZ 85358