Patsy Morene “Pat” Ballow Moore died at home on the J.E. Moore Ranch in northern Lampasas County on Feb. 18, 2025. She was 91.
Graveside services were held Feb. 20 at the Hines Chapel Cemetery. Sneed-Carnley Funeral Chapel of Lampasas had charge of arrangements.
Patsy was born Aug. 26, 1933 near Levelland to Jim Holland Ballow and Cleo Evadean (Wood) Ballow. She was the first-born grandchild of Oscar Ballow and Bessie (Holland) Ballow.
She grew up on her family’s cotton farm in Hockley County and attended school in Whitharral until the age of 14. After a hailstorm destroyed the largest cotton crop the family had ever produced, Patsy said her father decided to move his family somewhere they could make a living without ever having to worry about raising cotton again.
In 1947, the family relocated to northern Lampasas County. Patsy attended high school in Lampasas, where she played basketball and graduated in 1951.
On March 22, 1951 at the Evant Methodist Church, Patsy married James Edwin “Jem” Moore Jr. who lived on the J.E. Moore Ranch near the Ballows.
Patsy and Jem began their married life together on the J.E. Moore Ranch that had been established in 1900. They lived next to Jem’s parents, James Edwin Moore Sr. and Edna Ricks Moore. Patsy traveled to and from Austin with Jem while he attended the University of Texas. They then moved to West Texas where Jem worked in the oilfields for several years.
The couple returned to Lampasas County about 1957 to raise their children but remained in town until their son, Jem Ed, graduated from Lampasas High School in 1985. Then Jem, Patsy and son moved back to the J.E. Moore Ranch where they raised cattle, sheep and goats.
In addition to involvement with their children’s activities, Patsy and Jem were active in community affairs. Patsy served as the Lampasas County Republican Party secretary under her husband who was the county’s party chairman. During that time, they were instrumental in bringing then-presidential candidate Ronald Reagan to Lampasas, where he spoke to the community at the high school. The couple also were involved in Lions Club, the rodeo and the early days of the Spring Ho Festival.
Patsy also served on the Lampasas County Appraisal District Board.
The Moores were active at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Lampasas where Jem was a lay reader, and Patsy sang in the choir. They also were youth leaders, and each served on the vestry, the church’s governing board. In addition, Patsy taught kindergarten at St. Mary’s Episcopal School.
She also served more than 35 years as secretary for Hines Chapel Cemetery near Adamsville.
Patsy’s business ventures included Lampasas Garden and Nursery, which she owned and operated in partnership with Donald Howard. She also owned and operated a Germania Insurance agency in Evant. When she decided to retire, she sold the agency to Dale Deshazo in Lampasas.
Patsy was born determined, driven and full of grit. She was the first to stand up and speak out against anything that seemed unjust or unfair. She never seemed to meet a stranger and had a willingness to start up a conversation with anyone. She also enjoyed sharing her life stories that left others with many fond memories.
She spent 13 years traveling Texas, Utah, Missouri, Wyoming and Montana with her son Jem Ed and daughter-in-law Annette who worked as contractors for various state and federal government agencies. While Jem Ed and Annette worked, Patsy watched over their young son, Jem. Patsy’s brother, Jimmy Ballow, once joined them on a work trip to Yellowstone National Park and she recalled it was a trip of a lifetime.
Patsy enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening and bird watching. She was an avid reader and always had a book open. She watched every John Wayne movie and every University of Texas football game that played on television.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Edwin Moore Jr.; her brother, Jimmy Carol Ballow; and a granddaughter, Stephanie Lee Summers.
Survivors include a son, James Edward “Jem Ed” Moore, daughter-inlaw, Annette Moore, and grandson James Edwin “Jem” Moore; a daughter, Carole Marie Miller, sonin-law Robert Miller, granddaughter April Irene Summers and Josh Leerhoff, and great-granddaughter Evadean Marie (Evie) Leerhoff; grandson Douglas Neal Summers; granddaughter Joslyn Marie Townsend; and numerous other grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
