From: Scotty Portis
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 9:01 PM
With sadness today I report the death of a former Mustang-Landon "Peghead" Moore. Peghead, as I liked to call him even to his face as I was his doctor for many years, was a fullback on Coach Ward's very first team in 1953. Peghead, all 135 pounds, 10 lbs lighter than Wallace "Wade" Pinkley was an excellent running back (speed was his forte) on this team which went 4 and 6. He leaves his daughters, Lana and Lisa, and wife, Margaret. Our deepest sympathy to this fine family.
At the visitation today I met Johnny Compton's widow, Pam. She told me how much she had enjoyed the stories of her late husband, his coach, his fellow team mates, and other Mustang players and teams. She said that the stories often brought tears to her eyes but put joy and laughter in her heart. She has sent the stories out to many of her friends and relatives.
We probably do not yet realize the magnitude of the blog that has been created as it has begun to "spider web" out and out.
Lying in bed the other nite before going to sleep, I tried to envision the physical and mental effort that Paul Ward had to have expend doing the many chores that he did. Someone mentioned being hauled to the swimming pool in McKenzie for swimming lessons, others mentioned being carried to the doctor for game or practice related injuries, another mentioned his teaching duties, he was the assistant baseball coach, his parenting of many of his under privileged players, and on and on. All of this on top of the tremendous effort that went with being the head football coach of very WINNING teams. Scheduling problems, equiptment problems, assistant coaches, tranportation problems, field conditions, and answering to the public that demanded nothing but victory. It is mind boggling to think of the energy that this man spent taking care of us. Yet he did it year after year with out complaining. It can even be said that he enjoyed it. So once again Coach Paul Ward we take our hats off to you and salute you for a job well done.
Scott Portis
Mustang 1955-1958
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