Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Rest in peace my Gentle Giant

In my 60 years, I have been blessed with loving and caring family. One of my favorites was a man who stood taller than anyone in the room and had the biggest smile of anyone in the room. Gentle yet stern when necessary. My beloved Uncle Richard Donald Moore died last Sat, just weeks shy of his 88th birthday.




3rd born to Simon Luke and Johnnie Lavern Hudson Moore in Ector Texas, Richard a memorable member of a family of memorable persons. Not as tall as his Grandfather, Simon Lafayette Moore (who stood 6'8") he still dwarfed his siblings and parents. The Moore family was close. Geneva was the first born, Simon Durwood was 2nd, Dortha was 4th and My Mama Annie Marie was the baby of the family. Being the baby, Mama always called Durwood her Big Brother and Richard her Little Brother. This was always funny to me as a child, since Richard was a head taller than Durwood. But that was Mama's sense of fun. Or should I say "sense of the ridiculous".



Richard married Gladys Mae Hicks (a hometown girl who was 5 ft nuthin') and they spent 21 years in the Air Force and retired as a MSgt. After his military retirement he put his MP skills to use and served as a Captain in the Grayson County Sheriff's office. In their final retirement they moved to San Antonio and we didn't get to see them as much as we wanted to.



After his wife's death in 1987 he married Janeese Bennett who preceed him in death by just a few days. Needless to say his passing is mourned by his two daughters and 6 grandchildren, all of whom I love dearly. But this story is about a nieces' perspective of a beloved uncle. Not a daughter's story. I'll tell that one later about my own Daddy.



I recall the last time I saw my Uncle Richard. It was 8 years ago. And we had a family reunion. The first time all of us had been together since '78 when our Grandfather died. I had seen Richard through the years and even attended his weeding to Jane. My Mom and I were the only family members present but that's just because they choose to marry here in our town where Richard had worked with and knew the Judges. He wanted his prior "work family" present. That tells you how much they meant to him. At the reunion he was still the biggest smile in the room and when he smiled down on you it was the warmest feeling in the world. (Same can be said for when he frowned.............that wasn't fun). That was Mama's last outing and she didn't know where she was or who the people were for half the day. Richard and I talked and I could tell it was breaking his heart.

I hate to say it but, I'm glad that Mama doesn't comprehend so there is no need to tell her that her "Little Brother" is gone.

For more about my Moore Family check out my Moore page on our website.





3 comments:

Deanna Dahlsad said...

So sorry for your loss.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to hear about your loss, and thank you for the glimpse at the man.

Unknown said...

Thank you for your words. The world is just a bit drearier without his smile.