Felix F. Moran, Jr.
POLSON - Felix F. Moran, Jr., 88, of Polson died of complications associated with heart surgery July 25, 2004, at Saint Patrick Hospital, Missoula,
Born Feb. 24, 1916, in Anderson, Texas, to Felix and Grace Moran, he graduated from Navasota High School and married his high school sweetheart, Eunice Wingard of Shiro, Texas, before moving to Houston to work at the Hughes Tool Company.
During World War II, Felix volunteered for service in the Army Air Corps on July 16, 1942. He trained at Texas-based Army Air Corps Cadet Schools in San Antonio, Ballinger, San Angelo, and Lubbock. He underwent transition training at Austin, Texas; Grenada, Mississippi; and Alliance, Nebraska.
He served in the European Theater of Operations and the American Theater for 15 months, flying C-47s with the 315th Troop Carrier Group in the Normandy Campaign, Western France, the airborne invasion of Holland, the Ardennes, and the Rhineland. At the end of the war in Europe, he transferred to Puerto Rico and took part in returning veterans to the United States by air.
Felix continued to serve the nation in the United States Air Force as a pilot and communications officer until his retirement in 1964 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, having flown C-47, C-130, and C-119 aircraft on assignments to post-war Germany, Washington, Hawaii, and California.
His decorations include the Air Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and others.
After retirement, Felix and Eunice moved to Pullman, Wash., while their three children attended classes at Washington State University. When their three kids left college, Felix and Eunice moved to the Flathead Valley, settling in Rollins in 1968. They enjoyed many years in their lakeside home before Eunice died in 1985.
Felix married Ursula Durst in 1988, and they lived in Dayton, then Polson, until her death earlier this year. Felix enjoyed his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, hunting and fishing, flying, and traveling the world.
He is survived by his three children, sons Trey and his wife Connie of Polson; Tim and his wife Karen of Rollins; and daughter Monya Virgil and her husband Jim, of Coeur D'Alene; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and his brother, Pat Moran of Houston, Texas.
Family and friends from Montana to Texas and all along the west shore of Flathead Lake will miss him greatly.
Memorial contributions may be made to Cheerful Heart, Inc., P.O. Box 688, Polson, or the Polson Senior Citizens Center, 504 3rd Ave. E., Polson, MT 59860.
A graveside Rite of Christian Burial will be conducted at the Lakeview Cemetery, Polson, with Father Gary Reller officiating. The service will begin at 10 a.m. today, Thursday, July 29. Arrangements are by Grogan's Funeral Home.