Rachel Elizabeth Moore, 63, passed away peacefully on July 31st, 2013 at her home in Ennis, TX. She fought a long and difficult battle with cancer and died with courage and grace. Her passing comes far too soon and she will be greatly missed by all who loved her. She was born to the late Dewey Oren Moore and Leslie Goudeau Moore on June 15th, 1950 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She attended college at LSU, earning Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fine Arts. She relocated to Maine after falling in love with its natural beauty in 1983. She married the late Frank Menair on picturesque Monhegan Island in the fall of 1985, during an early winter gale. In 1998, she moved to Texas with Frank and their two sons. In 2000, she joined the faculty of Navarro College as an art instructor. She taught art history, photography, painting and drawing and later became the head of the Art Department. Rachel was a talented and multifaceted artist who pursued her art passionately, but aside from her talent in the arts, she had an incredibly creative and independent mind that made everything she did unique. From the mosaics and designs she created in her house, to the beautiful and wild gardens she developed at her homes, everything was done with the flair and uniqueness of Rachel. In addition to her love of the arts, she was an animal lover and activist. Since her time as a child, she had a special bond with horses. Toward the end of her life, she especially found peace and joy with horses. She had a fondness of travel and took many adventurous trips in her lifetime with her family and friends. She took multiple trips to Europe as well as many adventures in North America, including an odyssey from Maine to Central Mexico and back by car. She was a wonderful mother, an incredible cook, an active member of the Episcopal Church, and a dear friend. Rachel’s talent, personality, storytelling ability, sense of humor as well as her social charms and love of life will be dearly missed. The impact of both her art and her personality on the lives of those who loved her is, however, deep and lasting. Rachel is survived by her two sons: Emile and Lucien Menair, her two stepchildren, Frank and Suzanne Menair, and her brother and sister, Dewey Oren Moore, Jr. and Leslie Julianne Foushee. She was laid to rest with her family at Green Oaks Memorial Cemetery in Baton Rouge on Saturday, August 3rd. Memorial donations may be made to the SPCA. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM on Sunday, August 11th at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Ennis, TX. To view an obituary or sign the guest book, please visit www.bozemitchellmckibbin.com. Arrangements are under the direction of the Boze-Mitchell-McKibbin Funeral Home, 800 S. Kaufman, Ennis, Texas. 972-878-2211.
