Rockport, MA — Phyllis died at peace, and surrounded by her loving family, on Sunday February 23, 2014.

Phyllis was born in East Boston on October 4, 1930. She was the third child of six born in seven years to the late Jennie Siciliano and the late Philip Spataro. Her parents divorced when they were young, and her mother raised them alone during the Great Depression. She taught them love, faith in God, great food, and music. They were all born with the gift of music and though some played instruments, it was their voices combined that were, and still are, beautiful, powerful and moving. With Anna on piano and Phyllis, Violet and Gloria, a trio to match the Andrews Sisters, Charlie on harmonica, and Rocco on the ukulele and guitar, they sang and played everywhere around Boston. From schools, churches and synagogues to U.S.O. dances and on WEEI radio, they were "The Spataro's." Phyllis graduated as her class treasurer from Girls High in East Boston in 1948, where she always bragged about her wonderful education. She loved her "Boston girls" and stayed in touch with them, and was on the reunion committee for over 50 years. She attended Gordon College in Boston. When the campus moved to Wenham, she was married to John Moore in the chapel there on December 20, 1953, and became secretary to the Dean of Students. They moved around a bit, and after having their first two children, moved to Gloucester in 1960, where their other three children were born. In 1965, they moved to Pigeon Hill Street in Rockport, where a few years later, after finding herself a single parent, Phyllis raised her five children with love, faith in God, great food and music. She was a true woman of God and taught her children the power of prayer and that God is Love.

Music was her passion and her solace. She wrote over 20 hymns, each one more beautiful than the last, which she and her daughters, her sisters and her friends sang in church. For years she sang with the Rockport Community Chorus under the direction of Sonja Dahlgren Pryor. One of her greatest joys and her family's pride was when the music director at Gordon College collaborated with her to create a full orchestral and choral arrangement of her song "Christmas Toys" that was performed and recorded at Gordon's Christmas concert. She later performed this song with her daughters and a full choir at the Christmas Tree Lighting in Dock Square in Rockport. Phyllis was very hard working and wore many hats. She was a part-time waitress at the Chowder House and also worked part-time at the Pewter Shop on Bearskin Neck. She taught Sunday school, was a Pioneer Girls leader, and was a "lunch lady" at Pigeon Cove School. She went on to become secretary to Dr. Ronald Clapp, executive secretary to Jimmy Montagnino at Gloucester Dispatch, director of the Cape Ann Chapter of The Red Cross, executive secretary to the director of the Sawyer Free Library, and executive secretary at Varian. She also worked for the Rockport Chamber of Commerce, at Town Hall, and as a volunteer reading tutor at the Carnegie Library and at the Rockport Public Library. A gifted writer of many published and unpublished poems, Phyllis was once the secretary and editor of the now defunct newspaper "The Rockport Eagle," and typed and edited Joe Garlands book "Portuguese Hill." Phyllis was a wonderful correspondent and wrote thousands of letters to friends around the globe. For years, she was a pen pal to many fourth graders at her friend, Betty's school in Hawaii. Her home was always open and there was always food on the table for a new neighbor, those who were alone, who needed a hand, a struggling musician to practice on her piano, a jam session, a Bible study, her children's friends, and visiting missionaries and musicians of every race and creed. Everyone was welcome. When her friends took her to an "amateur night," her professional singing career was launched. She sang at "The Sticky Wicket" jazz club in Hopkinton with Ron DellaChiesa, and recorded and performed with her dearest friend, Jane's late husband, Bud Fortier of New Hampshire. Phyllis met the late Mary Jo Frontiera and Paul Moatt, two extraordinary piano players, and through them met many more talented musicians. With them they created their band "Phyllis Moore and the Sound of Experience." They performed regularly at Cameron's and the Easterly, at many clubs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, countless weddings, and at many local holiday celebrations. On occasion, Phyllis sat in with the late Norm Parker and "A Patch of Blue," and was known to jam at Sandy's Jazz Revival with the late Herb Pomeroy and her late brother-in-law, Louie Giuliana, a gifted jazz pianist. Because there were three Phyllis Moores in the area, she became known as Phyllis Moore "The Singer." She loved this moniker and was proud of it. She was also proud of her Sicilian heritage and if you were Italian, you were family, and you were her gumbadi. Phyllis loved unconditionally and was her children's and her grandchildren's biggest champion. She was a fun and loving daughter, sister, cousin, niece, mother, aunt, grandmother, and friend, and was so very loved. She will truly be missed.

Phyllis is survived by her five children, Brian and his wife, Joanna, of Gloucester, Karen and her husband, Kevin Ellis of Rockport, Andrea and her longtime companion, Greg Swinson of Gloucester, Craig and his wife, Corinne, of Rockport, and Stephanie of Rockport; her three special grandchildren, Brianna and her husband, Peter Cox of North Attleboro, Luke Ellis of Rockport, and Benjamin Moore of Gloucester; her siblings, Anna, the wife of the late Louie Giuliaria of Gardner, Mass., Charles and his wife, Patricia, of Palm Springs, Calif., Rocco Spataro and his wife, Marion, of Lowell, Mass., Violet Paglicua and her husband, Pat, of Barrington, N.H., Gloria Ferraguto of Lee, N.H.; many nieces and nephews; extended family members, including her sisters-in-law, Helen Paul and Alice LeClair; former husband, John Moore and his wife, JoAnn of Florida, and many, many special friends, too numerous to name. She was predeceased by her parents, Jennie Siciliano and Philip Spataro; and by her stepfather, "Papa Rocco" Siciliano; her aunts and uncles; three of her special nephews; two favorite cousins; her brothers-in-law, Louie Giuliana, Willard Paul and Francis LeClair; and former son-in-law, William D. Grier of Rockport. Phyllis' family would like to thank all of the people, home health aides, nurses, doctors, drivers, friends, and family, who over the last several years, loved and helped Phyllis and her children deal with and come to terms with her plight with vascular dementia.

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands, serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His table with thanksgiving. Bow before His presence in the face of thine enemies for His namesake."

ARRANGEMENTS: A celebration of Phyllis' life will be held at the First Baptist Church, 2 High Street, Rockport, Mass., on Saturday March 8, at 2 p.m. Please omit flowers. It was Phyllis' wish that any donations you might wish to make be made in her name and her memory to Rockport Public Schools Music Department, c/o of Rockport Middle/High School, 26 Jerden's Lane, Rockport MA 01966.

Arrangements are by the Burgess & Mackey Funeral Home, 201 Main St. Rockport. Condolences may be given at www.burgessandmackey.com.