Published: November 18, 2009 07:56 am      

Book signing set for new Moran book

Area residents will have the opportunity to have the author and subject of "Moving Heaven and Earth – The Life of Melvin Moran" sign the new book on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 22 at the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum in Seminole.

The book will go on sale that day at the Museum’s gift shop. All proceeds of book sales will benefit the Museum.

"Moving Heaven and Earth" was written by Karen Anson of Seminole and published by the Oklahoma Heritage Association.

The book chronicles the life of Seminole philanthropist Melvin Moran – a recognized state and national leader in business, politics, and American-Israeli affairs. Moran is also co-founder of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum, a hands-on educational and entertainment tourist attraction that has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of children worldwide.

Born in St. Joseph, Mo., to European Jews, the book jacket states, “He lived through more than one Depression and rose to the top through the economic highs and lows of the last 80 years, filling his life with humor and fun along the way.”

Moran served in a top secret unit of the U.S. Air Force in London during the Korean War, where he met his future wife Jasmine Lindsay, a West End actress. Although most of his life has been spent as a businessman and community supporter in Seminole, his travels and friendships have taken him around the world.

Gov. Brad Henry wrote the foreword to the book. In introducing Moran, he writes, “...here is a man whose biography is that of the quintessential American success story. In the worlds of business and civic involvement, Melvin Moran has accomplished things about which most of us can only dream. And yet Melvin remains what he has always been – hard-working, caring, and compassionate. A nice guy. A real mensch.”

Author Anson is a 1969 graduate of New Lima High School and Seminole State College. She also attended the University of Oklahoma. Anson spent 20 years as an editor at The Seminole Producer. She has been published in Oklahoma Today and by the Associated Press.

Her next project is a history of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum.

Photos for "Moving Heaven and Earth" book jacket were taken by Jacklyn Patterson of Jacklyn Patterson Photography in Wewoka.

Patterson holds degrees of Master Photographer, Master Artist and Photographic Craftsman from the Professional Photographers of America, as well as Fellow of The American society of Photographers.

She has served as president of the Professional Photographers of Oklahoma and as President of the Southwest Professional Photographers. She is a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri and also earned a bachelor of arts in art from the University of Central Oklahoma. She owns her studio in Wewoka and does custom portrait work, both in the studio and on location.

The Nov. 22 book signing will be from 1-5 p.m. at the Museum, located at 1714 Highway 9 West in Seminole.

For more information and online purchases of the book, visit the Museum’s website at: www.jasminemoran.com/book.html.