Mildred Stapleford Moore

Mildred Stapleford Moore, age 89, slipped into eternity quietly and peacefully into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 7, 2019. Mildred was born in Craven County, NC to the late Albert Reel Stapleford and Bessie Campbell Stapleford on December 20, 1929. One of six children, she was raised on the family farm. Upon graduation from high school, she studied education at East Carolina University and graduated with a Master’s degree in 1952. During her time at ECU, she met Billy Aldridge Moore and the two married in 1953. They had one child, a daughter, Tanya. Mildred’s career in education spanned 31 years, and it was evident from early on that teaching was both a talent of hers and a calling. Her first job was as a first grade teacher in Enfield, NC, where the principal of the school was quoted as saying, “I did a good days’ work the day I hired Mildred Stapleford.” She and Billy later moved to the Raleigh area and Mildred took a job at Wiley Elementary, again teaching first grade. She was then approached by her principal with the prospect of undergoing training to teach a new class at Wiley made up of children with disabilities. This class broke new ground in disability education and gave Mildred the opportunity to let her strongest gifts shine. In the years that followed, she became renowned for her effective classroom management and teaching technique of children with disabilities. Mildred had committed her life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and missions was very important to her. She sponsored numerous missionaries throughout the years and participated in local outreaches herself. Mildred was pre-deceased by her parents and siblings, the late Albert Stapleford Jr, Margaret Austin, Mary Emma Brinkley, Issac Stapleford, and Jeannett Ipock. She is survived by daughter Tanya Holland, son-in-law Jeff Holland, granddaughter Lauryn Holland, and grandsons Christopher and Benjamin Holland. The family of Mildred Moore would like to extend their thanks to Mildred’s niece Gloria Austin, friend Karen Rabon, and Avendell Assisted Living for their roles in her care. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, Raleigh. Interment will follow at Raleigh Memorial Park. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 1:00pm – 2:00 pm prior to the service.