Gracie “Granny” Moore, mother of one of the most successful athletic families in Tucson’s history, passed away on March 16 from natural causes at 93 years old.
Gracie and Sammie Moore, who came to Tucson after excelling in sports while in high school at Rockdale, Texas, raised an impressive family tree that has made an impact on local athletics. Gracie was a standout guard in basketball and shortstop in softball and Sammie was a successful track and field athlete and basketball player while in Rockdale. Sammie was also part of the Harlem Globetrotters operation as a member of the opposing team.
The Moore’s sons Jerryl, Ernest, Randall, Nolan and Jeff became legends at Pueblo High School because of their athletic exploits. Their daughter Joy, who competed in track and played basketball and volleyball at Safford Junior High School, had offspring who became headliners including daughter Janisa and son Jermaine Watts at Sunnyside.
Janisa went from succeeding volleyball at Sunnyside to playing at Texas Southern. Jermaine went on to thrive at DePaul after his Blue Devil basketball career. Jermaine’s daughter Jordan completed a stellar basketball career at Salpointe and is headed to play at Knox College in Galesburg, Ill.
Jerryl played basketball, football and ran track at Pueblo. He went on to play football at Eastern Arizona College, Baker University in Kansas and Illinois State.
Jerryl’s daughter Crystal Moore went on to play volleyball at South Carolina after becoming an all-state selection at Flowing Wells in 1994. Crystal’s husband Robert Gillespie is the running backs coach at Alabama.
Ernest went from playing football and basketball at Pueblo to playing guard in basketball at Western Montana.
Randall became one of the most decorated basketball players in Tucson history during his career at Pueblo under coach Roland LaVetter. He was named the AAA Most Valuable Player in the state by Arizona Prep Magazine in 1976. He set the Pueblo single-game scoring record of 43 points that season. He also had a record 21 assists in a game that season. Randall advanced to Abilene Christian, became a four-year starter at point guard and led the Lone Star Conference in assists throughout his career. Now a Pima County Sports Hall of Famer, Moore also coached at Desert View and Pima College. In 2011, Randall became the first African-American head basketball coach at his alma mater, Pueblo.
“My brothers, my sister, my mother and my father have all been very involved and have all been an influence on me,” Randall said in a February 1976 interview with the Tucson Citizen. “That’s what was so good growing up with them — we always had enough for a three-on-three.”
Jeff along with Lafayette “Fat” Lever led Pueblo to consecutive AAA state titles in 1976-77 and 1977-78. Jeff went on to El Camino Junior College in Torrance, Calif., and Loyola Marymount before playing professionally in the Philippines and Venezuela.
Nolan progressed from his Pueblo career to play basketball at Pima.
Their oldest brother Sammie Jr. had a heart condition that prevented him from being involved in competitive sports. The family has mentioned they believe he would have been just as successful athletically as parents Gracie and Sammie Sr. and siblings Joy, Jerryl, Ernest, Randall, Nolan and Jeff.
Gracie and Sammie Sr. also raised their nephew David Wells, who went from his Pueblo football career to playing at New Mexico State.
Gracie was a longtime custodian with the United States Postal Service before retirement.
Funeral services will be held Friday (viewing at 10 a.m. and service at 11 a.m.) at Grace Temple Missionary Baptist Church. Gracie was preceded in death by Sammie Sr.
Recommended for you
