Madolyn Moore Velez

Madolyn Moore Velez August 16, 192 July 5, 2009 Madolyn Moore Velez died on July 5, 2009 in Abilene, Texas after a three-and-a-half year battle with ovarian cancer. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 8 at First Baptist Church of Waco with Dr. Scott Walker officiating. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park. Visitation with the family will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the church prior to service. Madolyn was born August 16, 1928, in San Angelo, Texas to Arthur Oliver and Lena Mae McCurdy Moore. In 1938 the family moved to Brownwood, Texas. They relocated to Burkett for one year due to the Army's acquisition of land for maneuvers during World War II, but returned to Brownwood in the fall of 1943. She attended Brownwood High School and graduated in 1945. While in high school during her summer breaks, Madolyn worked for the Brownwood Airport and obtained her private pilot's license. At the age of 16, she was the youngest female in Brown County at that time to have earned a pilot's license. After high school, she attended and graduated from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, TX with a BA degree. She was a member of Alphi Chi and Kappa Delta Pi honor societies, graduated in the top 5% of her class, and played the saxophone in the Yellow Jacket marching band. While in Brownwood, Madolyn worked for the Chamber of Commerce, and later she taught school in Clyde and Lubbock before moving to Kansas. There she received her Master of Arts degree in Spanish from Wichita State University in 1968. Madolyn married Joseph F. Velez in 1969, and they moved to Waco, Texas in 1971 where Joseph had accepted a teaching position at Baylor University. Madolyn also taught Spanish at Baylor for a number of years before retiring in 1978. Madolyn loved music and was a gifted pianist. She played for the men's Sunday school class at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church while living in Brownwood, and, later, for an adult Sunday school class at First Baptist Church of Waco where she and her husband were faithful members. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Arthur O. Moore, Jr. Madolyn is survived by her husband, Dr. Joseph F. Velez; her two daughters, Dr. Michele P. Johnson and husband, Dr. Terry of Abilene and Dr. Melinda Jo Velez of Duncanville; one son, Gregory Eugene Pitts of Brownwood; two grandsons, Karl E. Johnson, wife Sarah, and children Caroline and Cooper of Yuma, AZ; and J. Nathan Johnson of Fort Worth; one sister, Lou Ann Moore Pate and husband, Sammy of Coleman; two nieces, Dee Ann Duke Day and husband, Ricky; and Julie Duke Swink and husband, Lawrence; as well as two great nieces and one great nephew. A very special aunt also survives, Wynne Mae Moore Brown of Tyler, and several cousins. The family would like to thank all of the physicians at Texas Oncology in Dallas and Abilene and at Charlton Methodist Hospital in Dallas, medical technicians, and staff at Hendrick Hospice in Abilene for their care and kindness. Madolyn and her family cannot express enough gratitude to her friends and family who encouraged, supported, and prayed for her during her illness. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com. Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey