Barbara Ellen Wright Moore, age 48, died of a cancer of unknown primary on Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2004, in Searcy. She was preceded in death by her father, Ray A. Wright. Survivors include her husband of 26 years, Mark and their three children, Marcus of Pasadena, Calif., and Amanda and Lydia of Searcy. She is also survived by her mother, Ann Wright, her sisters Donna Baines and Susan Dillard, all of Searcy, and a brother David Wright of Denver, Colo.

Barbara was born in Paragould and attended Crowley’s Ridge Academy before her family moved to Searcy when she was in seventh grade. She graduated from Harding Academy and earned a bachelor of arts in education from Harding University in 1978. While in college, she was in Belles ‘n’ Beaux, A Capella Chorus and Zeta Rho social club. She married Mark Moore in 1978 and moved to Zambia in 1979 when she was three months pregnant with their first child, Marcus. While in Zambia, she taught English at Namwianga Christian Secondary School, home schooled missionary children and did mission work. Marcus was born in 1979 and Amanda followed in 1982.

After returning to the states, she was proud to be a homemaker and stay at home mom with her young children. Her third child, Lydia, was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1986. Mark and Barbara moved to Phoenix, Ariz., in 1987, where they lived for eight years. Barbara was active with the ladies class at church and substitute taught at Scottsdale Christian Academy.

In 1995 Barbara moved with her family back to Searcy after a 17 year absence and completed a master’s of education degree in 2002. She worked with the Wilbur Mills Education Cooperative as an early childhood specialist and most recently at Curtis Kindergarten and as a reading tutor. Barbara performed as one of the “Lemon Sisters” and sang in the Holiday Lite Vocal Ensemble. She was active at College Church of Christ in a number of areas and returned to Zambia for a Northreach Campaign.

She was loved by many and will be missed. We rejoice that Barbara is now at peace and with her Lord.

Barbara requested that memorial gifts be made to Zambia Christian Schools, where she spent six early years of her marriage. Zambia Mission Fund, 3103 Memorial Road, Edmond, OK 73013.