Elmer Austin was the son of Lewis Purnell and his 15 year old unmarried niece, Martha Austin. Martha raised Elmer with no help from his biological father. When Elmer was young, they had a chicken ranch in Grafton, West Virginia and it was his job to kill and pluck the chickens.
About 1949 the family moved from Grafton to Los Angeles County, California. Elmer legally changed his last name to "Shreve" when he became an adult. William Shreve was his step-father for a time when he was growing up and he had used the "Shreve" last name in school.
Elmer, who preferred to be called "Moe", married Shirley Jean Swetech January 21, 1956 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shirley and Moe had one son, Randall. Moe worked hard to support his family. He had many jobs through the years: assembly line unloader; route sales with Frito Lay; sales rep. with Downey and Orange Empire and Heat Treating; V.P. and General Manager at Sun-Ray Testing, and owner his own sheet metal manufacturing company . He enjoyed riding motorcycles, and boating. The family enjoyed camping at Walker Lake during holidays. They eventually purchased a vacation place on the Colorado River in Mohave Valley, AZ which they traveled to as often as possible. While there they enjoyed water skiing, exploring the small mining town of Oatman, Arizona, and gambling in Laughlin, Nevada.
In 1989 Moe left Shirley, and also discontinued his relationship with his son and his family. Moe chose to live a more "free" lifestyle with many girlfriends.
Moe and Shirley divorced December 2007. Moe had built a retirement home for himself, his current girlfriend Gail, and another lady friend, Mary, in Willow Valley (a small area in Mohave Valley)and that is where the three of them lived. Moe died two months after the divorce was final, from a heart attack due to overindulgence in alcohol and cigars. Gail enjoyed the party life and she encouraged him to drink heavily. They held weekly parties in Willow Valley. Gail died from lung cancer a year after Moe died. She was a heavy drinker and smoker also.
About 1949 the family moved from Grafton to Los Angeles County, California. Elmer legally changed his last name to "Shreve" when he became an adult. William Shreve was his step-father for a time when he was growing up and he had used the "Shreve" last name in school.
Elmer, who preferred to be called "Moe", married Shirley Jean Swetech January 21, 1956 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shirley and Moe had one son, Randall. Moe worked hard to support his family. He had many jobs through the years: assembly line unloader; route sales with Frito Lay; sales rep. with Downey and Orange Empire and Heat Treating; V.P. and General Manager at Sun-Ray Testing, and owner his own sheet metal manufacturing company . He enjoyed riding motorcycles, and boating. The family enjoyed camping at Walker Lake during holidays. They eventually purchased a vacation place on the Colorado River in Mohave Valley, AZ which they traveled to as often as possible. While there they enjoyed water skiing, exploring the small mining town of Oatman, Arizona, and gambling in Laughlin, Nevada.
In 1989 Moe left Shirley, and also discontinued his relationship with his son and his family. Moe chose to live a more "free" lifestyle with many girlfriends.
Moe and Shirley divorced December 2007. Moe had built a retirement home for himself, his current girlfriend Gail, and another lady friend, Mary, in Willow Valley (a small area in Mohave Valley)and that is where the three of them lived. Moe died two months after the divorce was final, from a heart attack due to overindulgence in alcohol and cigars. Gail enjoyed the party life and she encouraged him to drink heavily. They held weekly parties in Willow Valley. Gail died from lung cancer a year after Moe died. She was a heavy drinker and smoker also.
Elmer Austin was the son of Lewis Purnell and his 15 year old unmarried niece, Martha Austin. Martha raised Elmer with no help from his biological father. When Elmer was young, they had a chicken ranch in Grafton, West Virginia and it was his job to kill and pluck the chickens.
About 1949 the family moved from Grafton to Los Angeles County, California. Elmer legally changed his last name to "Shreve" when he became an adult. William Shreve was his step-father for a time when he was growing up and he had used the "Shreve" last name in school.
Elmer, who preferred to be called "Moe", married Shirley Jean Swetech January 21, 1956 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shirley and Moe had one son, Randall. Moe worked hard to support his family. He had many jobs through the years: assembly line unloader; route sales with Frito Lay; sales rep. with Downey and Orange Empire and Heat Treating; V.P. and General Manager at Sun-Ray Testing, and owner his own sheet metal manufacturing company . He enjoyed riding motorcycles, and boating. The family enjoyed camping at Walker Lake during holidays. They eventually purchased a vacation place on the Colorado River in Mohave Valley, AZ which they traveled to as often as possible. While there they enjoyed water skiing, exploring the small mining town of Oatman, Arizona, and gambling in Laughlin, Nevada.
In 1989 Moe left Shirley, and also discontinued his relationship with his son and his family. Moe chose to live a more "free" lifestyle with many girlfriends.
Moe and Shirley divorced December 2007. Moe had built a retirement home for himself, his current girlfriend Gail, and another lady friend, Mary, in Willow Valley (a small area in Mohave Valley)and that is where the three of them lived. Moe died two months after the divorce was final, from a heart attack due to overindulgence in alcohol and cigars. Gail enjoyed the party life and she encouraged him to drink heavily. They held weekly parties in Willow Valley. Gail died from lung cancer a year after Moe died. She was a heavy drinker and smoker also.
About 1949 the family moved from Grafton to Los Angeles County, California. Elmer legally changed his last name to "Shreve" when he became an adult. William Shreve was his step-father for a time when he was growing up and he had used the "Shreve" last name in school.
Elmer, who preferred to be called "Moe", married Shirley Jean Swetech January 21, 1956 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shirley and Moe had one son, Randall. Moe worked hard to support his family. He had many jobs through the years: assembly line unloader; route sales with Frito Lay; sales rep. with Downey and Orange Empire and Heat Treating; V.P. and General Manager at Sun-Ray Testing, and owner his own sheet metal manufacturing company . He enjoyed riding motorcycles, and boating. The family enjoyed camping at Walker Lake during holidays. They eventually purchased a vacation place on the Colorado River in Mohave Valley, AZ which they traveled to as often as possible. While there they enjoyed water skiing, exploring the small mining town of Oatman, Arizona, and gambling in Laughlin, Nevada.
In 1989 Moe left Shirley, and also discontinued his relationship with his son and his family. Moe chose to live a more "free" lifestyle with many girlfriends.
Moe and Shirley divorced December 2007. Moe had built a retirement home for himself, his current girlfriend Gail, and another lady friend, Mary, in Willow Valley (a small area in Mohave Valley)and that is where the three of them lived. Moe died two months after the divorce was final, from a heart attack due to overindulgence in alcohol and cigars. Gail enjoyed the party life and she encouraged him to drink heavily. They held weekly parties in Willow Valley. Gail died from lung cancer a year after Moe died. She was a heavy drinker and smoker also.
