Laura Lee Moore

Laura Lee Pharis was a lovely and gracious lady. Her love of God was a pure and fundamental reflection of her own mother, Laura Bess Pharis, a God-fearing Methodist lady who loved the Lord and lived to praise Him in both songs and deeds. Laura Lee married James William Moore in 1948 and converted to Catholicism. She loved both denominations and felt blessed to have participated in each.

Laura was not only interesting but she was interested in other people and their lives. To her friends and family she was like Imogene Coco, Lucille Ball, and Carol Burnett… she was terrifically fun and tremendously entertaining. She loved to laugh and she could and did make other people laugh. She had many friends from all walks of life and all different ages and she nurtured and treasured those friendships throughout her life.

Laura loved to read. She said during the Depression, when books were scarce, she read other families magazines and books. She was interested in everything. She read the Bible, magazines, newspapers, novels, biographies, etc, etc, etc. She loved to read so much that she said if there were nothing else to read, she would read the label on a Campbell‘s Soup Can!

She worked for 26 years for the Fort Smith Public School System. She loved the teachers and the students and maintained relationships with many of them and their families for the remainder of her life.

Laura was married to James William Moore for 68 years. He preceded her in death in May of 2017. Although she had a career, many friends, and a family, her husband, James, was her main vocation. They loved being together. They loved to read, to travel, to visit friends, to go to church and in general they truly enjoyed each other’s company. Laura recently said that after James died she tried to thank God everyday for all the years they were together. She also said that she felt like James was waiting for her and then she added “because he never liked to go anywhere without me.”

She is survived by her daughter, Laura Moore-Farrell (Michael Farrell) of Fort Smith; and four grandchildren, James Farrell of Chicago, Illinois; Laura Margaret Farrell of Little Rock, Arkansas; William Farrell of Fort Smith; and Thomas Farrell of Fort Smith; a son, John Moore of Lincoln, Arkansas; a nephew, Bill Pharis (Karen Pharis and Family) of Van Buren, Arkansas.

Funeral Mass will be 10:30am Friday, October 19, 2018 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with burial following at the U.S. National Cemetery in Fort Smith. The family will greet friends from 5:00 to 6:00pm Thursday, October 18, 2018, with Rosary following at 6:00pm in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Aaron Barling, Leland Gantt, Chuck Guillory, Mike Hyde, Charles Ledbetter, Shawn McCaffrey and Allen Patterson

Memorial contributions may be made to the Immaculate Conception Ladies Auxiliary, 22 North 13th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 72901.