Leta Pauline Moore

A visitation for Leta Moore, 89, of Knoxville, will be held Saturday, October 1, 2022, from 10 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Melcher-Dallas. A service will follow the visitation at 12:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Leta’s name may be given to the Columbia Fire & Rescue. A graveside service for the family will be held at the Lincoln Cemetery near Knoxville.

Leta Pauline was born March 14, 1933, in Washington, Iowa. She was the middle of three daughters born to Paul and Imo Eilene Long and was raised on the family farm near Keswick. She graduated from Keswick High School in 1950 and went on to college. She met Bob Moore during a blind date, and they were married November 18, 1950, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. That blind date led to many blessings over their nearly 72 years of marriage, including five children: Paula, Bobby, Rod, Jerry, and Joe.

During college, Leta studied nutritional sciences and became a dietician. Those studies came in very handy in the home. She loved being a wife (a farmer’s wife), a mother and a homemaker. She excelled at baking and made many wedding cakes over the years. Leta also made bread on Mondays for the family, and the kids remember having left-over pieces sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. Another day of the week was reserved for pies and another for cakes. Leta also treated the family often with their favorite meals, like round steak, potatoes and gravy, or fried chicken. She also made incredible treats, like ice cream sandwiches and chex mix: many of her treats were one-of-a-kind recipes that no one else had ever made at that time. Sunday nights were dedicated to extended family, and oftentimes she would make 5 to 7 pizzas for anyone who showed up. Leta loved having everyone together. She enjoyed hosting the family reunion and Christmas and made sure everyone knew the date and time. If Leta said 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, that meant the meal would start at 12:00 p.m. sharp - so don't be late. Leta also put together a Moore Family Cookbook filled with many of the family's favorite recipes.

Leta was always a hard worker. She worked several years at the Pleasantville Nursing Home and worked just as hard at the family home near Melcher-Dallas, and on the farm, alongside Bob. Leta had a fantastic garden with flowers and vegetables, and she enjoyed canning those vegetables every season, along with apples and peaches.

One of Leta's favorite pastimes was bird watching, and she knew all their names. She enjoyed playing cribbage, pinochle, and Yahtzee, and she and Bob often shared time together square dancing and socializing with friends. Most important to Leta was her family. She loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, along with her extended family.

Leta passed away September 22, 2022, at the Knoxville Area Community Hospital. Leta will be greatly missed by her husband of almost 72 years, Bob Moore; her children: Bobby (Janis) Moore, Rod (Marti) Moore, Jerry Moore, Joe Moore, and Dan (Jan) Jordan; grandchildren: Jeff (Stacy) Jordan, Melissa (Josh) Kennedy, Heather Jordan, Brienna Jordan, Judson (Heather) Moore, Allen Moore, Brandi Hardin, Lindsay (Matt) Caster, Cory Moore, and Luke (Alex) Moore; great-grandchildren: Jack, Grace, Ben, Jordyn, Addilyn, Shane, Conner, Eli, Karsen, Teaghan, Daxton, Marlie, Ryker, Kyler, Paislee, and Ayda; sisters Rita Gudith and Carma Lea Davis; and extended family and friends.

Preceding her in death was her daughter, Paula (Moore) Jordan; grandson, Matthew Jordan; and daughters-in-law Sherry Moore and Melinda Moore.

The service will be livestreamed at the following link: https://my.gather.app/remember/leta-moore