She was born Sept. 13, 1921, in Sweetwater, to Joe and Byrl Billingsley Upton.
She received her education at High Point School in Sweetwater.
Her first job was with the Oak Ridge Nuclear Weapons Plant in Oak Ridge, where she was one of the many women who supported the war efforts during World War II. During this time she met and married Moses Livingston Moore. To this union four children were born: Moseline, Ola Mae, Moses Livingston Jr. and Alice Beatrice.
After the war she worked at Speck Hospital and Cleveland Country Club as a cook. In her later years she held the position of caregiver for both children and the elderly. She retired in 1999.
She was of the Baptist faith. She was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She found joy in her family. She will always be remembered for her kindness and compassion to family and friends. She had an outstanding love for her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and was adored by many because of her genuine character and the witty spirit she possessed that made her exceptional. She was a very proud, independent, hard-working woman who always marched to the beat of her own drum.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Byrl Upton; two husbands: Moses Livingston Moore Sr. and Romane Barrett; and two sisters: Bertha Upton and Myrtle Moore; six brothers: Tawny, Steward, Joe (Hawk), Victor (Rudy), James (Jim), and Archie (Penny) Upton; one grandson, Ramon Moore; one great-grandson, Emory Ford; one son-in-law, Kent Williams and a stepson, Romane Barrett Jr.
She leaves to cherish her memory three daughters: Moseline (Walt) McClain of Manteca, Calif., Ola (Kent) Williams of Southfield, Mich., and Alice Ford (Kenneth Foree) of Atlanta; a son, Moses Jr. (Billie) of Cleveland; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a former daughter-in-law, Dorothy Moore, of Cleveland; two sisters-in-law: Rosa Lee Upton of Charleston and Shirley Upton of Oak Ridge; two stepdaughters: Margaret Tate and Martha Ann Parker; one stepson, Timothy (Mallory) Barrett, all of Cleveland; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, other family and friends.
The body may be viewed Sunday, April 17, 2011, beginning at 9 a.m. The family will receive friends from 7 to 8 p.m. at Patton Funeral Home Chapel.
The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, April 18, 2011, at Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church. The Rev. Edward S. Robinson Sr. will be the eulogist.
Interment will follow at Fort Hill Cemetery. Visit www.pattonfuneralhome1962.com.
