John Moran Pounds was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and moved to the small ranching community of Adrian out west of Amarillo in 1945. The strong faith, integrity and work ethic of his parents were instilled in him as they farmed and ranched and attended First Baptist Church in Adrian. After high school Moran had a short stay at Texas Tech and then attended Amarillo College where he played college basketball as well. He then went on to graduate from West Texas State University in Canyon with a degree in Education. Many people don’t know that Moran actually taught High School and Junior High Math. It was during this teaching time that Moran enlisted and served in the United States Army Reserves.
Following his service in the Army and teaching, Moran tracked down an old family friend named Erma Jordan. Erma was in nursing school in Amarillo and also happened to be the best friend of Moran’s sister Ninnette. Following a short courtship, Moran and Erma were married on August 12, 1960. They lived in Amarillo for a short time and had son Denny before moving to Fort Worth so Erma could study and train to become a Nurse Anesthetist. In 1964, the family moved to Clinton, Oklahoma where Moran would attend Pharmacy School at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma. Son David was born in Clinton in 1965, and when Moran finished, they moved to Dumas where Moran took his first job as a pharmacist at Phillips Drugstore in Dumas. Son Drue was born in Amarillo in late 1969, and the Pounds family fun really began.
Shortly thereafter in 1971, Moran moved his family to Brownwood to join his pharmacist younger brother Neil Pounds in owning and running South Park Pharmacy. Moran and Neil also leased some pastureland near Owens, Texas to run a few head of cattle. They gave up ranching a short time later as Neil took his family in a different direction in Mason, and Moran just focused on South Park Pharmacy and raising his family. Moran continued to run South Park Pharmacy into the late 1980’s until selling it and beginning a career at Brownwood Regional Hospital as a hospital pharmacist.
Fighting together a four-year battle of illness, Erma Pounds, Moran’s wife of thirty-five years, passed away in September 1995. Together they had set their legacy of faith and family through active service at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, the community of Brownwood, and raising three sons to know the Lord, a strong work ethic, and the importance of family.
Moran married Carolyn Day Turner in July 1996 and they remained married 28 years until Moran’s passing. Shortly after their marriage, Moran encouraged and supported Carolyn as she achieved her goal of becoming a Registered Nurse. Moran and Carolyn enjoyed many trips together mostly to watch and support their grandchildren’s activities. Two of the more memorable trips were Banff Canada and in 2022 they traveled to the United States Military Academy at West Point for grandson Preston’s graduation and commissioning ceremony.
Over his fifty-two years in Brownwood, Moran was involved in various church, civic and youth organizations: served as a Deacon, Finance Committee, and Sunday School Teacher at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, Optimist Club, a leader in youth sports organizations especially Brownwood’s Baseball organization, Review Board for Boy Scouts of America, with Bill Faircloth organized 5th & 6th Grade Basketball League at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church, coached youth baseball teams in Brownwood Little League Baseball, active Member and President of the Brownwood Lions Quarterback Club, he was influential in the district approval and implantation of a baseball program at Brownwood High School.
Moran Pounds was the example of a rich life well-lived. He was an encouraging man of integrity, full of grace, and ready to help. His deep belief in his faith and family is his greatest legacy. Moran always looked forward to his weekly phone call of jokes and stories with his sister Ninnette, who remained one of his favorite people in the world. Sharing stories of yesteryear with his family, nieces and nephews brought him great joy. Moran was a great athlete and continued to play full-court basketball in the city and church league until he was sixty-seven. After his health slowed him down Moran continued to play ball and golf with his adult children, grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren.
In the last several years, Moran played 42 every week with his last game being just last week with men he respected and loved.
Moran is survived by his wife Carolyn Day Pounds; three sons and their wives: Denny and Kandi Pounds, David and Cindy Pounds, and Drue and Chris Pounds; stepdaughters and their husbands: Jennifer and Jud Weaver and Jodie and Cory McFadden; grandchildren: Tyler & Carli Pounds, Taylor Pounds, Torri & Mitch Funk, Tara Lynn Pounds, Trevor & Jordan Pounds, Cody Pounds, Bradley & Caroline Pounds, Preston & Mallory Pounds, Abby Pounds, Jack Pounds, Lane & Melanie Kennedy, Blake Kennedy, and Jaython Weaver; great-grandchildren: Cooper Pounds, Hallie Pounds, Avery Pounds, Ryan Pounds, Sage Pounds; sister & her husband: Ninnette & Butch Boydstun, and several nieces and nephews.
Moran was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Erma Pounds, and two brothers Minor Pounds and Neil Pounds.
Moran Pounds was an honorable man of integrity and faith and touched everyone who knew him.
Funeral services for Moran will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, February 5, 2024, at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the Jenkins Springs Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday afternoon from 4:00 until 6:00 at Heartland Funeral Home.
Condolences, memories, and tributes can be offered to the Pounds family online at heartlandfuneralhome.com