Ezaura “Hazel” Vierra-Moore

Ezaura Vierra-Moore

1932-2012

      Ezaura Vierra-Moore, 80, St. Joseph, Missouri went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday evening, July 29, 2012. Hazel as she was known to everyone was born Ezaura Sylvia on February 15, 1932 to Agnes Coehlo Sylvia and Joseph Thomas Sylvia of New Bedford, Massachusetts.  She spent her first ten years growing up in New Bedford.  They crossed the United States from East to West Coast, and back again on three (3) separate occasions, finally settling in Tulare, California in 1946.

      Hazel attended Tulare Union High School for her freshman and sophomore years until her father, Joseph passed of a heart attack in 1948, leaving Hazel to take care of her mother.  Shortly after her Father’s death in 1948 Hazel married Johnny Vierra. They divorced in 1968.  Hazel worked as a waitress until she was able to secure a position as a Cashier/Checker for Safeway Stores in Tulare where she was employed for 20 years until the demise of the union at Safeway. 

      Shortly after her divorce, she met Bill Gene Moore and after a short romance, Bill shipped out with the Navy to serve 4 consecutive tours of duty in Vietnam, retiring from the Navy after more than 20 years as a Store Clerk.  They lost touch and each went their separate ways until shortly after the death of Hazel’s mother in 1991 when they reconnected.  During their separation they each had 3 children, divorced, and raised their children as single parents.

      After they reconnected in 1993, Hazel helped Bill raise his teenage twins to adulthood. They lived first in Tulare, California, later moving to Eagle Point in Oregon, and finally settling near the Rogue River in Shady Cove, Oregon in 1995.  In October of 2000, Bill and Hazel officially married in Las Vegas, Nevada on a return trip from visiting Hazel’s oldest daughter in Topeka, Kansas.  They resided in Shady Cove until they relocated to St. Joseph, Missouri in 2008 to be closer to Hazel’s oldest daughter and Bill’s oldest son who lives in Hartville, Missouri.

      Hazel was a people person, an avid and skilled bowler, and a CB enthusiast with the handle of “Lady Checker.” She enjoyed listening to the over-the-road truckers on her scanner and met her CB buddies who became lifelong friends. She enjoyed watching WWF wrestling and roller derby with her grandchildren and loved the time she got to spend with family and friends.

      Hazel is survived by her spouse Bill Gene Moore, of the home; three children Geradette Dyche (Steven) of St. Joseph, Missouri, Eugene Vierra (Marcia) of Arroyo Grande, California, and Cynthia Shaffer (Reed) of Tulare, California; three step-children Terry Moore (Stephanie) of Hartville, Missouri, Chad Moore of St. Joseph, Missouri, and Shadeana Moore of Medford, Oregon; eleven grandchildren (and spouses) Michael Shaffer (Melanie) of Tulare, California, Scott Shaffer (Lisa) of Visalia, California, Bryan Murray (Casey Cole) of Lawrence, Kansas, Craig Brown (Michelle) of Visalia, California, Tonya Wilson (John) of Paso Robles, California, Caitlin Vierra of Oakland, California, Derek Vierra of Arroyo Grande, California, Kindra and Marissa Moore of Hartville, Missouri, Keyton and Tristen Moore of Medford, Oregon; and twelve great-grandchildren, Alexandria Brown and Emily Ayers of Paso Robles, California;  Mandy and Tiffany Brown, Bryson, Skyler and Siena Shaffer all of Tulare, California, Allison and Julie Enos of Visalia, California; Jordan Atkins, Isaac and Brogan Murray all of Lawrence, Kansas.  She was preceded in death by both her parents, Joseph and Agnes Sylvia, her brother Tony, four infant children (three boys and a girl that did not survive after birth), and her former spouse Johnny Vierra.

      Mass of Christian Burial  1:00 P.M. Friday, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Joseph. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery.  There will be a Parish Rosary 6:00 P.M. Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory, where the Family will receive friends until 8:00 P.M. The Family suggests memorial gifts to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in lieu of Flowers.

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