Who Was the Top Cook of 1987? Faye Moon!

Have you ever known anyone named the “Best of”? Well, my grandmother’s first cousin, Faye Loveless Moon was named a “Best of.”

Faye was the first daughter of James Oscar Arthur Loveless and Lula Kate Ferguson, born on 15 March 1908 in Texas. She grew up in Stephenville and was five years older than my grandmother. They likely hung out at times when my grandmother grew older.

Best Cook in the Country
Faye Moon of Stephenville was named the “Best Cook in the Country” by Country Magazine for the year 1987. She responded to a newspaper reporter saying, “I was so excited I could hardly believe what they were telling me.”[1]

Country Magazine had a contest where subscribers could nominate the best cook. Her cousin, R. D. Lancaster, my grandmother’s brother, nominated Faye. He and his wife, Barbara, were frequent visitors to Faye’s home and he insisted “she is truly a good cook.”

Faye was a retired home economics teacher and she enjoyed cooking and experimenting with food preparation.

The magazine began with featuring nominations sent in by subscribers and then readers would write in with their support for a particular cook. She was highlighted in the June-July 1987 issue.[2] The magazine said they received a “file full” of letters. One comment was “Some of my happiest memories are of times spent at this lady’s table.” Another wrote, “Faye is not only a good cook, but a very lovable, generous and carrying person.”[3]

Her Prize
She won a free trip from a choice of tours offered by Country’s travel division. Her two daughters, Sue and Lou accompanied her on a trip to the Great Northwest (Oregon and Washington). She thought it would be a “trip of a lifetime.” R. D. also won a trip for nominating her.

Lunch for a Reporter
Larry Zelisko, who wrote the “Big Country Journal” column for the Abilene Reporter-News, finagled an invitation to lunch at Faye’s home, along with R.D. and Barbara Lancaster. He wrote about it in his column. She prepared fried chicken, a side dish she called okra-potato gumbo, black-eyed peas with green beans, a crushed pineapple and carrot salad with poppyseed dressing, and homemade rolls. For dessert was pecan pie. (What a filling lunch! Plus, this was a typical meal my grandmother would make.)

He reported she learned to cook from her mother. Her first stove burned kerosene but now had an electric stove. She studied home economics at Tarleton State (a junior college) and College for Industrial Arts (now Texas Woman’s University). She taught home economics for thirty-two years at high schools in Alexander, Bluff Dale, Hico, Dublin, and Stephenville.[4]

I have copies of the above newspaper and magazine articles but due to copyright, I cannot show them. However, I met Faye in 1995 when my grandmother and I visited Texas. Here is a photo of my grandmother in the back and Faye in the front. They have a strong resemblance.

Cooking has always been a love of my grandmother and my mother, so it is not a surprise that a member of the Texas family has won a “best of” cooking contest.

#52Ancestors-Week 50: You Wouldn’t Believe It

This is my sixth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

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[1] “Faye Moon named best cook in country,” newspaper clipping, newspaper unknown, author’s files.

[2] “Stephenville woman’s cooking recognized by national magazine,” Abilene Reporter-News, 26 April 1988, p. 7, col. 2.

[3] “Our Winner! 1987’s Top Cook! Country Magazine, Feb-Mar 1988, p. 45.

[4] “Stephenville woman’s cooking recognized by national magazine,” Abilene Reporter-News, 26 April 1988, p. 7, col. 2.

Copyright © 2023 by Lisa S. Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family, All rights reserved.