Mrs. Mozelle Turner Baker Ferguson

Mozelle Turner Baker Ferguson, 95, died June 22, 2015, of heart disease at a memory care facility in San Antonio, Texas. A native of Henderson, Texas, she lived in the Alamo City for almost 10 years following the death of her second husband, Barney Ferguson, in December 2005. Mozelle was born on August 15, 1919, to Arthur and Mattie Lou Turner on the family farm just outside Henderson. Her father operated a cotton gin on College Street and later built an in-town residence for the family on Glendale Avenue. Mozelle graduated from Henderson High School in 1937 and North Texas State University in 1941 with a degree in education. Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson lived in Pasadena, Texas, where she was a retiree from the Pasadena Independent School District and where he was a retiree from Shell Oil Company's Deer Park operations. He had been a chemist and she an elementary school teacher. The Fergusons met while on a senior citizens' trip to Ireland and were married in 1990. Mozelle was a widow and Barney a widower at the time of their courtship. Mozelle's first husband was William Eugene (Bill) Baker whom she dated during her college years at TCU and NTSU. Because of World War II, however, she was unable to marry him until July 19, 1945. Bill's first duty station was Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, where he watched the December 7, 1941, attack from the U.S.S. Rigel. Mozelle twice went to San Diego during the war to try to marry Bill as he passed through, but missed him both times. The War Department would not grant him leave to go home during the war because he was legally an orphan. Mozelle began the war years as a teacher at Rocky Mount , near Nacogdoches, Texas , but determined she wanted more adventure in her life during WWII than that of a school teacher. So, she responded to an ad from American Airlines and was accepted into that airline's first class of stewardesses who were not nurses. Because there was a severe lack of pilots during World War II, commercial carriers had only a single pilot aboard the aircraft, many of whom flew far more hours than would be permitted today. Consequently, Mozelle occasionally flew the plane over the Southwestern deserts while the pilot rested at night on flights between Los Angeles and El Paso. Once the war ended, Mozelle married Bill Baker and returned to teaching -- first in Shreveport, Louisiana; then in Corpus Christi, Texas; and finally in Pasadena, Texas. She was a member of the Kiwis, an association of former American Airlines' stewardesses, and of Delta Kappa Gamma, a professional sorority. She was also an elder in the First Presbyterian Church of Pasadena. And, after retirement, Mozelle traveled the world extensively. The last decade of her life, however, was diminished by dementia. Mozelle had two sisters and one brother, all of whom predeceased her: Anne Tucker of Longview; Marie Wayland of Henderson; and L.J. Turner of Henderson. Mozelle had three sons: Randolph Baker and wife Pam Allison Baker of San Antonio, Richard Baker and wife Claudine Henry Baker of Holly Springs, Arkansas, and Benjamin Baker and wife Rebecca Klose Baker of San Antonio, grandchildren Chris Baker and wife Glenda of New York, NY., Brittany Mitchell and husband Michael of San Antonio, Rebecca Whitley and husband Richie of Holly Springs, AR., Jennifer Muckelrath and husband Stacey of Camden, AR., Joanna Klose of Austin, and Suzanne Klose of San Antonio, five great-grandchildren, and a small number of nieces and nephews and their families. Graveside services for Mrs. Ferguson will be held at 1 pm on Thursday, June 25, 2015 at Mt. Hope Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Robert E. Weston officiating. Interment will follow under the direction of Crawford-A. Crim Funeral Home. The family will receive friends from 5-7 pm on Wednesday, June 24 at Crawford-A. Crim Funeral Home. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.crawfordacrim.com.

Mrs. Mozelle Turner Baker Ferguson

August 15, 1919 - June 22, 2015