WILLIAM A MOORE
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterpirse page 1 - December 31, 1953
THREE DEAD, ONE SURVIVES CHRISTMAS EVE TRAGEDY
Three Gilman people are dead and one in critical condition in the Gilman hospital, following a Christmas Eve shooting in the Kay Smith home. Dead are Mr. Smith- 64 ; his stepson, William Moore- 43, and his stepdaughter, Edna Copper Kessecker, 45. Mrs- Smith is in the hospital, paralyzed by a bullet, from her waist down. The shooting occured around 9:60 Christmas Eve, shortly after Mrs. Kessecker had arrived from Denver for the holidays with 'her mother. She was met at Minium when she arrived by bus, by her brother Mr. Moore in his pickup. When they arrived in Gilman, they met Kay Smith, their stepfather, on the street. He got in the bed of the pickup and rode with them to his house where he got out and went inside. The others drove up the street to turn around to park in front of the Smith home. When they entered through the kitchen door, Mr. Smith had shot his wife. When her son went to her aid, he was shot through the forehead. Mrs. Kessecker was shot before Smith turned the gun on himself, putting the bullet through his left temple- Mrs. Kessecker- seriously hurt, ran to the home of Mr. and Mrs Tommy Reed for help, and collapsed in the door. The three wounded were taken to the Gilman hospital- where Mr Moore died Christmas morning at 6 o’clock, a bullet, in his brain. Mrs. Kessecker died Saturday
night around ten o’clock. Her son, Roy Copper, who had come from Denver Christmas Eve for the holiday with his wife, Pat and his two-weeks old son, in the H. D. McCain home in Eagle was with her when she died. Mr. Smith, employed in the mill of the Empire Zinc Company at Gilman, was described by his neighbors as a good natured man. and were shocked at the shooting. Officials stated he had ‘gone berserk.” Friends said he had seemed depressed during the day of the tragedy, and he was known to have worried over financial affairs. Mr. Moore, an electrician for the company, was mild-manner-ed and popular with those who worked with him over the long period of years he lived in the Battle Mountain district. He is survived 'by his wife, Ruth and 6year old daughter, Linda. Besides the mother, Mrs. Smith, Mrs Kessecker and Mr. Moore are survived by a sister, Mrs. Buster Mize of Gilman, and Mrs. Kessecker is survived by her son, Roy, grandson, David Lee and her estranged husband. Max Kessecker. Funeral services will be held in Red Cliff Sunday afternoon for Mr Moore and Mrs Kessecker. No date has been set for the burial of Mr. Smith. Rev. Delbert Paulson and Bowman Funeral Home of Eagle will be in charge of the service and burial.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 6 - December 26, 1953
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3 - December 30, 1953
