Berneda Moore

Berneda Leota Moore, a long time Paola resident passed away March 1, 2010 at the age of 94. She was born March 12, 1915 north of Ramona, KS, the daughter of Dr. G.H. "Hank" and Mary Lillian Poe Kleopfer. She started her education at Rosebank School, a one room school that taught all 8 grades where they began each day with a flag salute and a morning prayer. She graduated from Ramona High School in 1934 where she was their star basketball, volleyball, and tennis player. She also played basketball on the Ramona city team. She married Francis Harold Moore of Martinsville, MO in 1936 at the Hope Christian Church in Hope, KS. In 1937 they settled near Jamison, MO to raise their four children. They moved to Gallatin, MO in 1943, Winston, MO in 1946, and to Plattsburg, MO before moving to Miami County in 1950. The Moore"s lived on a farm near Fontana where her children attended school. She and Francis divorced in 1954. After her children graduated high school, she was lonely and living in a big house; that"s when she made the decision to run an adult care facility for homeless women. She cared for women for more than 25 years. Her community activities included: treasurer for the Gallatin, MO Farm Bureau, life memberships in the Tri-County Historical Society (Herington, KS), and the Miami County Historical Society. She served as superintendent and treasurer of the Fontana Christian Church; a charter member of the Osage Township Senior Citizens; worked on the election board for Osage Township for more than 25 years; served as chairman of the Miami County Area of Aging; a member of the Harmony Club; a member of the Miami County Hospital Auxiliary; the Fontana correspondent for the Miami County Republic and Osawatomie Graphic for more than 25 years; and was the 4-H community leader for the Osage Rustlers. She still found time to babysit her grandchildren and the neighbor"s children. Preceding her in death were infant twin granddaughters; a six year old grandson, Christopher Lee Burnett; half brother, Harvey Moore; half sisters, Eva Miller and Ruby Whited; brothers, Harold, Newton, and Milo Kleopfer; and sisters, Ramona Kleopfer and Winifred Engle. Surviving are her sons, Leroy and wife Barbara Moore, Bernard and wife Carole Moore; daughters, Sharon and husband John Grother, Nina and husband Wayne Diediker; and brother; Donald Kleopfer; 9 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and 6 step-great-grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Fontana Church of Christ or the Swan River Museum.