Ethel May Moore Emmons

Mrs. Ethel May Moore Emmons, 94, died on Thursday, July 19, at Ridgecrest Retirement Center in Waco, Tx. She was born Ethel May Moore on March 4, 1918, to Luther Carter Moore and Ida Wallace Moore of Minden, La. She attended Louisiana College in Pineville and was active in choir and debate. She graduated with a degree in Latin and English and was salutatorian of her class. She taught at Sikes (La.) High School and there met Winfred S. Emmons, Jr. They were married in 1942 in San Diego, Ca., where Winfred was stationed during the war. They subsequently lived in Baton Rouge, Charlottesville, Va., and Arkadelphia, Ar. before settling in Beaumont, where Winfred was employed on the English faculty of Lamar University. Mrs. Emmons taught Latin at South Park, Forest Park, Central and West Brook high schools. She was well-loved and highly respected as a teacher (magistra) of what to her was a living language. Her Latin club activities were legendary, including Roman banquets and annual trips to both state and national Junior Classical League conventions, where her students routinely won awards for achievement in grammar, derivatives, oratory, mythology, and other subjects. She was honored as PTA Teacher of the Year at West Brook High School in 1987 and was given the Beaumont A&M Club's Outstanding Teacher award in 1988. Mrs. Emmons was an active and faithful member of Calder Baptist Church, serving as an adult Sunday School teacher, Girls Auxiliary director, and choir member. She was also a longtime member of the Beaumont Civic Opera and the Interfaith Choir. After 35 years of teaching, she retired in 1988, at the age of 70. In 2009 she moved to Ridgecrest Retirement Center in Waco, Tx, where she enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, reading a book a day, and following politics, and the Houston Rockets. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her sister, Mary Olive Moore Hebert. She is survived by a brother, Luther William Moore of Minden, La; a son, Winfred Emmons, III of Waco, his wife, Bonnie, and their son, Winfred, IV; a daughter, Jeanne Emmons of North Sioux City, SD, her husband, Adam Frisch and their children, Austin and Eleanor; and a son, Don Emmons of Austin, his wife, Margo, and their children, Rebecca, Rachel, and Carlos; and five great grandchildren. Visitation will be at Claybar Funeral home in Beaumont on Tuesday, July 24, from 4:00-6:00 p.m., with a funeral service to follow at Claybar at 6:00. Dr. James Fuller of Calder Baptist Church will officiate. There will be a private burial on Wednesday at Forest Lawn Cemetery.