Obituary of Marion (aka Marian) Elizabeth Townsend

Marion Elizabeth Moore was born by midwife via a Cousin in Darlington, South Carolina on September

16, 1923 to John Gordon Moore, Sr. of Statesboro, GA, and Carrie Lou Noble of Savannah, GA. She was

raised briefly in Savannah, GA. At around 5 years of age, the family migrated to Philadelphia, PA with

younger brother John G. Moore, Jr. They stayed temporarily with Colonel (Uncle) and Marie Hall (Aunt),

their 3 children - Mildred, Hayward (O.C.) and Alma. Eventually, they found a place of their own to rent.

Then, Margaret M. Moore and Carroll L. Moore were born in Philadelphia PA. There were many

problems and struggles of moving from place to place while growing up, along with Marion’s mother

dying when she was about 11 years of age. At this time, the children stayed with Sallie Beasley (Aunt)

and her 4 children - Gussie, William C., Rita, and Harry. Shortly thereafter, Iralee Noble (Aunt) came to

visit, assessed the living conditions, and took her brother-in-law and sister’s kids to raise them from that

point onward into adulthood. Also, at some point, Marion, John, Margaret, and Carroll were made

aware that they had an older half-brother named Walter Moore, Sr. (son of John Gordon Moore, Sr. and

Bertha Rice) from Cincinnati, OH.

Marion received her Elementary, Middle, and High School education in the Philadelphia Public School

System ending up at Southern Philadelphia High. One of the skills she learned in school was sewing and

ironing. A first job was an Ironer. For most of her life (to provide for herself and her two children), she

was self-employed, working from home as a seamstress for Cousin Lester Moore’s Dry Cleaners in South

Philadelphia. She offered her sewing repairs and dressmaking abilities to family, friends, and neighbors.

Concurrently, she was an itinerant saleswoman of clothing, jewelry, Avon, etc. She sold dinners on

occasion, and had a soda machine in front of her house. She did some Babysitting of kids for parents

who had to work (with assistance from her niece Judith Simmons). She was a Landlady leasing rental

property. Worked briefly at Ancora Psychiatric Hospital of Winslow Township, NJ; Worked at United

News of Philadelphia PA and Sears and Roebuck Company also in Philadelphia; was a Bus Monitor for

disabled kids for a short period of time.

During World War II she married William E. Carter, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA. He was a Musician; Navy

Veteran; Retired Postal Worker and Labor Union Shop Steward. They had two children: Carolyn J. Carter,

and Gerald B. Carter. They were married for about 9 years. Later, at United News of Philadelphia, PA,

she met, married, and loved Roosevelt (Rosie) L. Townsend of Lumberton, NC. He was a Retired Army

Veteran and Army Reservist serving in 3 wars (to whom she was a faithful and a devoted wife from the

1960’s until his passing in 2010). Marion helped to raise 3 of her sister Margaret’s children - Nephew

Michael Moore, Niece Judith Simmons, and Nephew Umar (Derrick) Alghazi. Also, when Margaret was

sick, she took care of 2 of her other children briefly during the Summer: Steven A. Moore, and Keith

Moore.

Marion attended various Protestant Churches (Primitive Baptist being one of them) growing up, but was

impressed with the Roman Catholic Church as a young girl, and later joined them in Philadelphia PA. She

attended Saint Peter Claver’s; Saint Rita’s 0f Cassia; Transfiguration Church; and Saint Carthage, all in

Philadelphia, PA. After moving to Atco, NJ, she attended Assumption of Mary Church and Christ the

Redeemer Church. But in spite of all of this, she was not sure of her salvation, but later learned about

how to receive forgiveness of her sins, and the certainty of salvation by believing in God through Jesus

Christ alone as her Savior and Lord - having denounced some teachings and traditions that were not

sound Biblically over time. In this new found faith, she shared and witnessed to her family, friends, and

Roman Catholic members verbally and with literature about the gospel – holding prayer and Bible

studies in her home and encouraging them all to read the Holy Bible for themselves. In her last 3 or 4

years, she attended Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia PA with her son Gerald and daughter-in-

law Linda as her health declined.

Marion was called the oldest living Matriarch among close family members and extended relatives.

Many called her Aunt Marian (including cousins, friends, children of friends whether they were related

by blood or not. She loved God (through Jesus Christ her Lord) because he first loved her. She loved her

immediate family, extended family, in-laws, church family, friends, and people in general. She enjoyed,

playing tennis, sewing and wearing nice clothing (almost daily), photography, reading books/magazines,

watching Christian and some secular television programming, singing in the choir, listening to music,

cooking, traveling, driving, visiting and spending time caring for others, being an independent woman,

etc. There were many good times in her life, as well as many storms and trials in her lifetime up to the

very end, but according to her faith she is now resting and at peace in the Kingdom of God with Christ

Jesus our Lord, and the Holy Spirit. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalm

116.15)

Marion’s Husbands - William E. Carter, Jr., and Roosevelt L. Townsend; Daughter - Carolyn J. Carter;

Siblings: Walter Moore, Sr., John G. Moore, Jr., Margaret M. Moore, Carroll L. Moore; Nephews and

Nieces: Darnella Smedley, Michael Moore, Keith Moore, Sr. all preceded her in death.

She leaves to mourn her passing Son - Gerald Carter (Linda); Nephews and Nieces - Valerie Moore,

Steven Moore, Kenneth Moore, Terrance Moore, Judith Simmons, Wendell Moore, Umar (Derrick

Moore) Alghazi, Robin Bull (Charles), Darren Moore (Deanne), Darryl Moore, Timothy Moore, Wanda

Washington, Walter Moore, Jr., Ronald Troutman; a host of many Great Nieces and Nephews, Cousins,

Extended Family, In-Laws, and Friends.