Donald Moore

Donald N. Moore

October 9, 1928 – March 19, 2016

The Rev. Donald Norman Moore was born on Oct. 9, 1928 in Saint Joseph, Missouri to loving parents Charles and Flossie Moore. He was the youngest of three boys, Charles, Carl and Don, whose father was killed in a factory explosion when Don was 18 months old. After the death of his father his mother Flossie remarried and his half-brothers and sisters Francis, Nida, Donna, Connie, Ron and Dean were born.

When Don was in the seventh grade, he had to quit school and work full time in order to help the family survive. Don joined the U.S. Navy in 1946 and served on the USS Rowan, USS Agreholm and the USS Rogers. He received the World War II Victory medal, Good Conduct medal, American Area Campaign medal and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign medal. Don was a boilerman 3rd Class.

On June 23, 1950, Don married Hazel Pauline Johnson in Eugene, Oregon where they made their first home together. They have three children, Douglas (Roberta), Cheryll Lund (Brett) and Tamara Roche (Kevin), three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Don worked at Eugene Water and Electric from 1950 to 1953 and then went into a partnership at A&M Auto Body Shop.

In 1956, Don was evangelized and accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord. Those who knew Don at the time were amazed at the transformation and changes that Jesus made in his life. He became a member of Emmaus Lutheran Church in Eugene and had a calling from the Lord to become a pastor.

In the fall of 1958, Don started back to school at the University of Oregon in Eugene and graduated in 1962. he attended seminary at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California. He spent three years in seminary at Berkeley and about nine months as an intern at a church in Beaverton, Oregon, followed by his ordination as a minister at Emmaus Lutheran Church in Eugene.

After ordination, Don received a parish in Grandview, Washington and served five years in that position. In 1971, Don received a call to Poulsbo, Washington and served as pastor in Vinland Lutheran Church until his retirement in 1988.

After retirement Don became a partner with his son Douglas in Moore’s Auto Sales and Service in Chimacum, Washington.

Don built a small airplane with his son Doug in 1969 and they both earned their private pilot’s licenses in 1970.

Don and Hazel owned many boats and were avid fisherman. He loved to restore old cars and was a member of OVAC in Kitsap County for many years.

Don was loved by all who knew him, was a man of integrity and a man of his word. He loved to help people and spent his lifetime serving and helping those around him. Don was generous with all he had and helped many through hard times. God will surely bless him.

He will be missed by all who knew him, but all of us who love Jesus know we will see Don again soon.

A memorial service for Don will be at 1 p.m. Friday, April 8, at Silverdale Lutheran Church, Silverdale, Washington.