Deceased Name: Marcine Moore Fritz

August 28, 1920 ~ August 4, 2008

© Holmes-Coffey-Murray Funeral Home

Submitted by: TD

S. Marcine Moore was born in her family home on August 28, 1920 to parents Joseph S. Moore and Nettie Decker Moore. The Moore home was located on the corner of Texas Street and 12th Avenue. Marcine was preceded by four siblings. On August 4, 2008, Marcine went peacefully to be reunited with her husband, Duane, her parents, and her Lord.

As a young girl, Marcine was baptized in the First United Methodist Church, Durant. Upon graduating from Durant High School, Marcine continued her education, receiving her B.S. in Elementary Education on May 21, 1942 from Southeastern Teachers’ College in Durant. She taught school in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Louisiana. In the summer of 1943, while working at the Pyote Army Air Base, which was locaAugust 28, 1920August 4, 2008ted in Texas, she met her future husband, Duane John Fritz. They married on February 26, 1944 in the First United Methodist Church parsonage at Monahans, Texas. Marcine accompanied her husband to army bases in Oklahoma and Kentucky. After the end of the World War II, their careers took them to Colorado, Louisiana and eventually to Houston, Texas. In Houston, Duane was active in the oil and gas business. In 1982, Marcine and Duane returned to Durant where they bought and restored the historic Horace Marshall House. With this project completed, Marcine turned her energy to researching family genealogy. She traveled through Tennessee, searching libraries and cemeteries for the Moore family history, and as far as Michigan, researching the Fritz family. Marcine and Duane had a vision of creating a historic museum in Durant. On June 13, 2004, she saw their vision come true with the Grand Opening of the Three Valley Museum. Creativity comes from the freedom to be willing to color outside the lines—Marcine had this remarkable creativity! With personal funds, intuition, imagination, expertise, and management skills, she was instrumental in purchasing a building and seeing the renovation of what is today the Three Valley Museum. When called to accomplish the impossible, we can turn our backs or we can straighten our backs and walk forward. Marcine was determined. Marcine was named “Belle of the Magnolia Festival” on June 3, 2004, an honor given for achievement and dedication to our historical values. Her most recent joy was her participation in the design and financial support of the Heritage Room in the First Baptist Church, Durant. The stained glass window gave her special joy.

Marcine was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brother, Reginald, her sisters, Pauline and Lillian. She often said, “If I had to start all over again, I would do the same thing!” A favorite quote of hers was from Winston Churchill – “Success is never final; failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts!” Marcine was a woman of courage. She will be missed!

Graveside service will be 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at Highland Cemetery, Durant, Oklahoma. Rev. Terrell Suggs and Lee Brown will officiate. Pallbearers will be Harold Ashley, Michael “Brownie” Brown, Jeff Gibson, Ronnie Haynie, Ash Jackson, Tom Jackson and Brett Newton. Honorary Pallbearers will be Staff of Kings Daughters & Sons Nursing Center, Edith Peratta, Kolline Whitley, Roy Brown, James Dalton and Keiller Haynie.

Condolences may be sent to the family at dhfh@communicomm.com. Dalton-Holmes Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.