Shirley Ragene Moss was born on April 28, 1929, in Foss, Oklahoma. He grew up on a cotton farm and graduated from East Central State University in Ada, Oklahoma, where he worked his way through college at a funeral home.
After college, S.R. served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and worked in accounting at Conoco Oil initially in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and then in Houston, Texas. He married Carolyn Joyce Parks in 1952 and together they had three sons.
When Conoco told S.R. that he would be transferred to New York City, he said, “New York City I’m not gonna raise three kids in New York City. Enough!” In 1966, he and his family moved to Taylor, Texas, after purchasing Whites Home & Auto in downtown Taylor by looking at the Houston Chronicle classifieds. In 1996, he built a larger store to better serve his customers and changed the name to Moss True Value.
S.R. was known as a caring, patient, giving and quiet man. He ran his business with the motto “the customer is always right.” Locally, he was involved in Kiwanis International and was a member of the Taylor ISD School Board, First United Methodist Church in Taylor, and St. Peters Church of Coupland.
S.R. is survived by companion Hermania Vitek of Taylor; sons Mike (Leslie) of Lubbock, Brad (Belinda) of Taylor, and Doug (Dai) of Austin; three grandchildren Kirk (Ashley), Amanda (Jason), and Megan; and three great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife of 57 years Carolyn and his grandson Chad.
Services will be Friday, January 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Condra Funeral Home in downtown Taylor. In lieu of flowers, please make any contributions to St. Peters Church of Coupland.
