Willis Moore

Willis Francis "Paco" Moore\r\n\r\nOur beloved Paco, 87 years young, of Bandera, Texas passed away on a beautiful Thanksgiving morning of November 23, in the year of our Lord 2017. Willis Francis Moore, or as he was more affectionately known as "Paco" was born in Fort Worth, Texas to Phoebie and DeweyMoore on March 10, 1930. Paco, was married to the love of his life, his precious Marie, on December 24, 1949. That match made in Heaven lasted sixty-three years until Paco was preceded in death by Marie. Not a day passed that he did not long to see her smile, hear her voice, or know her touch again. Although bitter for us that remain, we are rejoiced in the thoughts of their reunion in Heaven with our Lord and look forward to when we can all be together again. \r\nPaco, attended Fort Worth Technical High School, where he was a recipient of the Bausch and Lomb Science Award and was selected," Who's Who in Electronics", in 1948. Thankfully, this was after he survived blowing up his middle school's 8th grade chemistry lab! After graduating high school, he attended Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Chemistry, with a minor in Physics and Mathematics. His education was earned by attending night classes while his daytime activities included owning his own television repair shop, and helping raise his four children. He also earned several hours in graduate school, where he designed and manufactured specialized instrumentation for the Chemistry, Physics, and Geology departments of TCU. Paco worked for Convair Incorporatedof Fort Worth for five years where he designed electronics test equipment for the Inspection Test Laboratory, to test vendor items used to manufacture the B-36 aircraft. Paco was then employed for fifteen years by Westronics Incorporated, and Worth Wells Surveys Incorporated, of Fort Worth. There he designed and manufactured nuclear geophysical instrumentation for oil well logging. He served as Chief of Electronic Research for five years. On Thursday, October 10, 1963, he started his illustrious Civil Service career. His first assignment was in the Bio-Medical Engineering Branch of the School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Force Base, Texas. While there he primarily worked in support for military physicians in their aerospace related medical research projects. Most of the instrumentation needed was not available and had to be designed and manufactured or required modifying existing equipment by Paco and his co-workers. The last nine years of his assignment at Brooks Air Force Base was in the Laser Laboratory of the Radio Biology Division to investigate the effects of electo-optic devices on pilots and astronauts. He probably shot more lasers than any sci-fi movie ever dreamed of doing. In 1972, Paco accepted a position at Kelly Air Force Base, in the Automatic Test Equipment Section of Engineering Division of Material Management. During his assignment at Kelly Air Force Base, he served as the electronics engineer for the Malfunction Detection and Recording System (MADARS) on the C-5 Galaxy aircraft. From October 1981 to June of 1984, he provided engineering services to the Non-Destructive Inspection (NDI) Branch, which managed the Air Force wide task of standardizing inspection techniques, testing NDI inspection specialists, and the acquisition of NDI equipment. In June of 1984, Paco joined the Electronic Security Command (ESC), later known as Air Force Intelligence Command, and currently designated as the Twenty-Fifth Air Force. Serving in the prime of the Cold War, Paco was assigned to the Air Force Electronic Warfare Center, Electronic Warfare Directorate, Simulator Validation Division (SIMVAL). He provided engineering direction and assistance for conducting investigations and tests to determine the impact of simulator modifications for electronic warfare training, operations, and testing. He was the project officer for many field tests, and a consultant for numerous others, to gather data to be included in the Operational Performance Validation Reports (OPVRs) published by SIMVAL. Although he could never talk about his work due to security restrictions, he did always believe reporting to a Colonel was better than reporting to a Lieutenant Colonel, because all that promotion "bs" was out of the way. Paco retired from ESC as an Electronics Engineer on Friday, April 27, 1990 where he received the highest honor bestowed upon a Civil Service employee that of Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award. From the time he graduated high-school until the time he retired from Security Hill, he was only ever un-employed for three days during his entire working career. \r\nAfter retirement, Paco focused more on the many interests and hobbies he cherished. He was a lifelong amateur radio operator known as "W5AWK" to his many friends, but most often heard speaking to Marie as she was "K5FUL". The first type of "Honey, I'm ok" check-in's way before today's modern text messages. Many a mile was traveled across the country with his grand-children in tow listening to radio chatter and calling up repeaters in whatever area we were traveling through. Also, he always thought it funny to find things like a radio antenna installed low on the ground as opposed to the top of the hill it was next to because the landowner did not want it obstructing their view. \r\n He enjoyed raising cattle and hunting on the beautiful Rancho De Moore located at the top of Jackson Creek, west of Medina, Texas. He often took his grandchildren there for weekend getaways of hunting, target shooting, feeding the cows, eating canned Vienna sausages, saltine crackers, and peanut butter. Once known as a track star in his youth, he would often bound from a moving vehicle to run up the side of a hill, or down a creek bed to come back showing the latest Armadillo he had caught.\r\nBeing a life-long "rock-hound" led him to travel more farm-to-market roads than major interstates. He could often at times be found studying roadside exposures searching for potential geodes, fossils, or quartz crystals, sometimes even when he was running late for an event. Many a family vacation were spent loading up the kids and camping while rock-hounding together as a family, including having to once use a century plant stalk as the center pole for a tent because it did not get packed. \r\nOf all the interests and various subjects he was familiar with, the one he bloomed the most at was his love of flying. He learned to fly by Stinson based flight instructor LC Amos, and that passion never left him. Besides Marie, his other love was a Cessna 172 Skyhawk affectionately known as "Lizzie." Lizzie opened up a whole other world for Paco and Marie as they flew all over the country meeting new friends and family. From working air shows in Kerrville, Hondo, and Fredericksburg, to providing first flights for people who had never flown before he shared his love of flying with anybody willing or not who he could talk to about planes. He traveled to many an air show across the country including several trips to the Experimental Aircraft Association premiere event, AirVenture, in Oshkosh Wisconsin, proving to his grandchildren that it was more than just a place to get coveralls. He was known to travel down the center lane on an empty country road demonstrating the proper procedures for take-offs and landings to his passengers riding along with him in the car.Some of those passengers will tell you the road was not always as empty as he thought. On crisp clear days if a plane could be heard flying about or seen, it would draw a foul-mouthed envious remark about the pilot and his craft being about while he was being pre-occupied with some other endeavor at the time. \r\nPaco dedicated his life to the brotherhood of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and had asuperb record of Masonic service. Paco was initiated, passed, and raised as a Master Mason in 1960. Paco belonged to the following Masonic organizations: Scottish Rite of Freemasonry including 32 degree Knight Commander of the Court of Honor, York Rite of Freemasonry, Tranquility Lodge # 2000 as a charter member (First Masonic Lodge on the Moon), Maj. John B. Jones Masonic Rangering Company, Alzafar Shrine, Texian College, Bandera Masonic Lodge #1123 (Past Worshipful Master), Rising Star Masonic Lodge #429 (Past Worshipful Master), Bandera Chapter #643 Order of the Eastern Star (Past Worthy Patron), Medina Chapter #988 Order of the Eastern Star. His Grand Lodge of Texas appointments were as follows: District Relations Officer of Masonic District # 51 for years 1999-2000. District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District # 51years 2001-2002, and served as secretary for 3 different lodges for 25 years. Paco's involvement in Masonry helped with his biggest passion for service, and that was to support widows and orphans. If you ever want to know more about being a Mason remember, "tobe one, you have to ask one."\r\nPaco is preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife Kitty Marie Farris Moore to whom he was married to for 63 years, brother Dewey Odell Moore, son-in-law Larry Brooks, mother Phoebie Serilla Moore, grandson Louis Eric Stein, and father Dewey Francis Moore. \r\nHe is survived by daughter Frances and her husband Harold Lemons of Llano, Texas, daughter Sylvanne Brooks, of Elmendorf, Texas, daughter Deborah Allbritton and her husband Roy of Bandera, Texas, son Alan Moore and his wife Cindy of La Feria, Texas. Surviving grandchildren: Katy Lemons Lundy and her husband Sid, Larry Brooks, Cody Moore and his wife Roxanna, Andrew Brooks and his wife Leanne, and Dustin Moore and his wife Ana.Surviving great-grand children: Brady and Bailey Lundy, Finn and Summer Moore, Augustus Brooks, and Henry Joaquin Moore. And, one cantankerous border collie that Paco did not go anywhere without, Bear. \r\nA memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at 10:30 am at Grimes Funeral Chapel in Bandera, Texas with Chaplain Pam Traver officiating. Gene Carnes will preside over the Masonic funeral service directly after the closing of Chaplain Traver. John "Hutch" Hutcherson will play "Amazing Grace" on his bagpipes to conclude the memorial. Following the service, The Bandera Masonic Lodge and Order of Eastern Star of Bandera, will provide a meal at the Bandera Masonic Lodge. After the meal, and as requested by Paco, we will celebrate his life with a wake at the "World Famous, 11th Street Cowboy Bar" complete with a mariachi band and cold Dos Equis. Please come help us celebrate with a smile our father, grand-father, great-grand father, and friend to many, our precious Paco. \r\nIn lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the following charities that Paco loved and supported: Shriners Hospitals for Children, and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. \r\nThe family of Willis Francis "Paco" Moore wishes to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to: Dr. Johnson, Dr. Gallagher, Dr. Jones, Hill Country Memorial Hospice and especially Diane, Yadi, Irene, and Pam. Bandera Masonic Lodge #1123, Rising Star Masonic Lodge #429, Bandera Order of Eastern Star, Grimes Funeral Home, John "Hutch" Hutcherson, Stella Tedesco, James McGroarty, and 11th Street Cowboy Bar and all their staff. \r\n