Mabel Killifer Moist

Mabel Killifer Moist, 90, of Farmington passed away Monday, March 8th in Farmington. She was born March 18, 1919 in Lostant, Illinois on the Phillips homestead farm to Bessie Defenbaugh Phillips and Merrill Abraham Phillips. She graduated from Lostant High School, then attended Business College. She married Ralph Gordon Killifer in 1936 and to this union were born two sons, Maurice Eugene and Donald Gordon Killifer. For the next 20 years while her husband was in the Army, they traveled extensively in the United States, Europe and Alaska. During that time she was employed in Civil Service for the Army and Air Force in many varied positions " War Crimes Review in Heidelberg, Germany, JAG, Air Force Finance, Provost Marshal, Base Exchange, Civilian Personnel, and the U. S. Forest Service in Gunnison, Colorado after her husband’s retirement. She had joined the Midnight Sun Chapter Order of Eastern Star in Midnight, Alaska. She was widowed while in Gunnison, and later returned to Alaska to again work for the Air Force. While in Alaska she met and married W.L. Hughes and helped raise his two youngest sons, Jerry P. and David A., who graduated from Revere High School in Ovid. She was again a widow for several years after W. L. passed away. She married Wayne Moist in 1992, and they resided at his farm home during his retirement. He passed away in 2004. Mabel had seven grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, and one great-great granddaughter. She served as President of the Ovid Methodist Church UMW, and was recording Secretary for the Church for years; also was President of the Ovid Woman’s Club, and Secretary then President of the Friendship Club. She was preceded in death by her son, Eugene Killifer of Ovid. She is survived by granddaughter Gloria (Robert) Scalzo, her children, Melissa (Jim) Brusso and their daughter, Elizabeth Ann, and Alec, his son Maurice II (Cheryl) and their children Maurice III, Justin and Cali, all of Niagara Falls, New York; daughter Kimberly (Scott) Cormeier, their children Taylor, Noah, Hunter and Josie; daughter Marcie (Steve) Spies and their children Caleb and Benjamin all residing in Montrose, Colorado; her younger son Donald and his wife Louise of Farmington; their daughter Carol (Joe) Fletcher and children Lindsey and Lance of Portales; son Curt (Val) of Louisville, Kentucky and their son Cole Gordon, son Christopher (Crystal), their children Avery and Kayla of Farmington.