John Edward Moore I, age 80, passed quietly at home in the presence of his family on October 11, 2019.
He was born in Bangor, Maine, where he spent most of his early years through high school prior to joining the US Navy. Some of his happiest childhood memories came from his first twelve summers spent on Gott’s Island, Maine.
Before John left the Navy with an honorable discharge, he married his high school sweetheart, Marilyn Sue Libby, about whom his mother was later heard to say, “was the best day’s work he ever did”.
While working as a radio announcer for the WRDO Radio Station in Augusta, Maine, John was part of the moving force that helped develop and present the first “Battle of The Bands” in the City Auditorium to raise funds to bring the first American Field Service (AFS) Student, Marie Barbey, from Nyon, Switzerland, to Cony High School in Augusta, Maine for a school year in the 1960’s.
In 1971, John was chosen to help bring the concept of “fast food”, known as “Great Golden Chicken”, by the House of Hay out of New Brunswick, to the Grimbsy-Cleethorpes area of England. It was an exciting prospect until the local banks determined they wanted to support only an Englishman in management’s place, and John just didn’t do as well at imitating the accent as did his 7-year old daughter!
By the mid-70’s, John determined it was time to go after that college degree. In 2-and-1/2 years, he completed his Business Degree Suma cu Laude, while working 2-3 part time jobs and still finding time to be husband and dad. He was dad not only to his own pre-teen plus two teens, but by then the family had added two foreign students for one school year, (one from Acapulco, Mexico, the other from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. One summer, a boy from Mexico City Mexico, was a guest.) These guests helped wet the family’s appetite for bring more into the fold as opportunities arose, creating additional lifetime friendships.
Following that, John received the first of his Civilian Employee for the Air Force assignments as a Billeting Manager at Loring Air Force Base, Maine, where he spent 7 years prior to being transferred to Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, Az. Next came Hanscom AFB, MA, followed by Chanute AFB., in Rantoul, IL. Then came an upgrade to Housing Manager at Wright-Patterson AFB, in Dayton, Ohio. John felt he had finally found a home when he was assigned to Goodfellow, AFB., in San Angelo, Texas. He, as many before him, declared, “I wasn’t born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could”.
A few years into that work, an early retirement became available. By taking advantage of that, John was able to put into practice by teaching what he had been doing all along. He was hired to teach classes in Seoul, South Korea, Pforzheim, Randolph, and Kaiserslautern, Germany, and Jacksonville, Florida. Only once did he teach a class in Hilo, Hawaii. Suppose it had anything to do with the fact that this was one time his wife, Marilyn Sue went with him, and she found Hilo Hattie’s too much of a temptation for those matching shirts!
John was born to Newman Lee Moore and Marion Leckemby Moore in Bangor, Maine, on June 24, 1939, each of whom predeceased him.
He is survived by his spouse of 61 years, Marilyn Sue Libby Moore, and their three children, Bethany Sue Zimmerman of San Angelo, Tx., John Edward Moore II and wife, Sue of Hollis, OK, and Kimberly Denise Middleton of Stephenville, Tx.
Grandchildren are Dirk Zimmerman and wife, Rose of Killeen, Tx, Erica Renee Roth of Taft, Ok, Catlin Sue Atwood of Hollis, OK, Josiah Norlin Zimmerman and wife Melody of Tulsa, OK, Alyssa Sue Pugh and husband, Matthew of Lubbock, Tx, John Edward Moore III and wife Reagan of Amarillo, Tx , Emily Shae Garza and husband, Whalen of Lubbock, Tx and Ian Arthur Middleton of Lubbock, Tx.
Great-grandchildren are Drake Watson, Abbie Zimmerman, Mallory Roth and Esther Zimmerman.
Siblings: Helen Lee Moore of Colorado Springs, CO, Mary Elizabeth Clark and husband, Dwight of Panama City, Fl., Betty Jean Lamoreau and husband, Mike of Manchester, ME and a brother, James Michael Moore of Bernard, ME, (deceased).
Family by choice: Camille Flanagan and Scott Manamon.
A Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00PM, Monday, October 14, 2019 at Harper Funeral Home. A Celebration of his life will be 1:00PM, Tuesday, October 15th at Southgate Church of Christ with Pastor Don McKee officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family would welcome memorial gifts in honor of John to Westview Boys Home, 120 West Broadway, Hollis, OK 73550 or Southgate Church of Christ World Missions, 528 Country Club Road, San Angelo, Texas 76904
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