Sara Bernice Moseley, the first woman to serve as moderator of the Presbyterian Church in the United States – the southern branch of what later became the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – died July 18 in Sherman, Texas, at age 95.
Moseley, a ruling elder, served at all levels of the Presbyterian Church, including as moderator of the PCUS General Assembly, elected in 1978, and in 1983 and 1984 as the first chair of the General Assembly Council after the northern and southern streams of the church reunited to form the PC(USA).
She and her family have strong ties to Austin College in Sherman, Texas. Moseley’s late husband, John D. Moseley, served as president of the college and later as its chancellor, from 1953 to 1981. Following his retirement, the Moseleys stayed in Sherman, where both remained involved in Austin College life and in a variety of community organizations. John D. Moseley died in 2009. In May, Sara Bernice attended her 60th Austin College commencement.
In 1999, the Austin College Board of Trustees initiated the Sara Bernice Moseley Scholarships, given to students who are members of PC(USA) churches and who have demonstrated commitment both to the church and to service. Since then, according to the college, 635 Moseley Scholars have been named recipients.
The daughter of Bernice and Sally Honea, Sara Bernice Moseley grew up in Anson, Texas, and graduated in 1937 from Texas State College for Women (now Texas Woman’s University) with a degree in music. A lifelong Presbyterian, she was a member of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Sherman.
Moseley is survived by three children: Sara Caroline Moseley, John Dean Moseley Jr. (Alice Butler) and Rebecca Jane Moseley Gafford (Ron); four grandchildren: Peter Junkin (Michelle), Andrew Junkin (Lynn), Jennifer Gafford Daugherty (Don) and David Gafford (Giselle); and seven great-grandchildren: Nicholas and Isabel Junkin, Amira and Sam Junkin and Dean, Eirik and Finn Gafford.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. July 26 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 322 W. Pecan St., Sherman, Texas, 75090. A service of celebration and music will be held at 11 a.m. August 10 at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church, 9800 Walnut Hill Road, Dallas.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts be made to the Memorial Fund of Covenant Presbyterian Church; or at Austin College to the Sara Bernice Moseley Scholars Program or the Bernice and Sara Rebecca Honea Fellowship in Teacher Education. Memorial gifts to the Austin College funds can be sent to: Austin College, 900 N. Grand, Suite 6G, Sherman, Texas, 75090.
