Moore Family Reunion Of 1993

The Moore family (my uncles and aunts - dad’s brothers and sisters) have had a Round Robin going for many years. One who receives it takes out their last letter and writes a new one. Then it is on to the next person to do the same. It takes about five months for the robin to make it’s flight and return to you. My dad, Leonard, had passed away in 1940 and when the robin was started, his family was not represented. Uncle Dale asked me to represent the Leonard Moore family in the robin about 1988 or so. I joined it to bring them up on our family and what my brother and sisters families were doing. I knew all the aunts and uncles very well as I had contact with them while living in their parents home in Celina. So I was a natural to join and was glad to do it.

After a few years I thought it was time for this family to get together once more. We had most of the family together for grandpa’s birthday parties but not all could make it. I wanted to honor the original members of my grandparents family with this reunion. They were all getting up in years and before too long wouldn’t be able to make a trip to whatever location was chosen for the reunion. Everyone was all for the reunion but no one wanted to step forward to plan the event. So I took charge and became the Director of the Moore Family Reunion of 1993.

Director and Master of Ceremonies Of The Moore Family Reunion Of 1993 - Dick Moore

It took 18 months of planning to get this organized and done. My superintendent at State Farm was a computer whiz and he helped me design a letterhead for communications that included two pictures -- grandpa and grandma! I had copies make and used them in all requests and information that I needed sent out to the family. We had to choose the time and the place for this reunion. I lived in California and we have a lot of things to do here but some were coming from the east coast which made it a long trip. I decided to hold it in Oklahoma City over the weekend of July 30, 31, and August 1, 1993. This was Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We wanted to spend as much time together as we could. Uncle Ray and his family could help me because they live nearby. Ann’s sister, Helen, also lives there and could recruit her family to help in the details of the reunion.

Phil Moore helped me with the talent show. Linda Comingdeer registered everyone and handed out packets of materials that we had for all. Ron Comingdeer took pictures at the program so we could enjoy the family and not be concerned with documenting the reunion. Perry Gering handled the video portion of capturing the reunion on film. Ron also ran the golf tournament for me. Others had a role such as securing the locations of our gatherings and entertainment. A lot had to be done and the family helped when given an assignment.

I took a week’s vacation during Ann’s Spring Break and we went to Oklahoma to handle some details. One of the things I did was to meet with the Mayor of Bethany, Oklahoma, and explain what we were doing. I went to City Hall and found that he doesn’t office there. He was a Farmers Insurance Agent and handled his mayor duties out of his insurance office. This was interesting as I worked with State Farm, a competitor. I asked him if he would declare July 31, 1993 as “Moore Family Day” in Bethany. He said he would be happy to help in making this a memorable day for all. He would come to the main program on Saturday and present each honored guest with a proclamation declaring the special day. He did a wonderful job on this and made everyone welcome. He didn’t want to leave the program as he was having as much fun as the rest.

We started with a picnic in a local park. Dick standing by the sign.

We would first meet at a local park in Bethany for lunch on Friday. Uncle Ray organized this for us. At this time we would share pictures of the past and present for each family. We had a banner that a friend made for me to identify the actual place for the picnic. It was great to see everyone and talk over “old times”. We met again that evening after dinner for a concert at the First Church of the Nazarene in Bethany given by one of the professors at Southern Nazarene University. He did a program on the piano like Victor Borge which was hilarious. Also demonstrated the various styles of church pianists which had everyone laughing very hard.

The next day was Saturday and we had suggestions for get together opportunities. The golf tournament was held at the University of Oklahoma. Uncle Ray had his brothers and sisters over for brunch. The zoo and several museums were available for meeting someone and enjoying the morning. The packets we had given each family contained many suggestions for use of this time.

Our main program would be at 3:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene. My cousin, Phil Moore, was the Minister of Music there and arranged that room for us. Here we had the Mayor of Bethany proclaim the day as ours and he handed out an individual proclamation to each aunt and uncle or family member if they were not there. I accepted the one for Leonard Moore. Aunt Betty had passed on and her daughter Donna accepted for her. The only living member of the original family that wasn’t there was Carlan. He was unable to make it that weekend. But the other eight living members were there and what a time they had. Each one was able to relate a story of their childhood living in the Moore household. We talked about the “Humor of J. I. Moore” relating some funny things that grandpa had said or done. We had the talent show with many participating in it. Uncle Gary and his daughter Becky sang a duet. Ray, Dale, Bob, and Gary sang a quartet. Doris and her daughters Eileen and Carolyn sang a trio. Eileen and Carolyn did a funny sketch about two cats. Phil, Harlan, Rick and I sang a quartet number about “What A Meeting” relating our reunion in Heaven. Rick sang a solo. I was scheduled to do one but time got away and I decided not to do it. Ray and Gary did a duet. It was a great time.

Uncle Dale had prepared “The History of the Moore Family” which was printed in the program and he delivered it orally as well. Uncle Cecil was a pastor in Georgia and he delivered a sermonette on “Family Values”. I brought a clock momento to each of the honored family members which had a picture of their parents on the inside cover. The clock was engraved with their name and date. I had several nieces and nephews call each one up and give them the gift.
The ladies of the church prepared the evening meal for us. So we continued the conversation around tables and food. Ernie Reynolds was the first grandchild of our grandparents and we asked him to pray for the family.

On Sunday morning we gathered back at the Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene to worship together. The Moore Family sang a special number for the congregation as most of the family are singers. This was a wonderful experience. We had lunch together at the church and bid everyone farewell. Of the nine living members at the time, eight have gone on to their reward in Heaven to this date. Bob, Doris, Dale, Cecil, Ruth, Carlan, Ray and Pauline have reached their eternal destination and are rejoicing with their family members who have gone on before them. We have pictures and video of them participating in the reunion which I believe was Heaven inspired. I am so thankful that I took the time and effort to get the family together and share this one last time enjoying each others company.

Front Row: Pauline, Doris & Ruth

Back Row: Gary, Cecil, Ray, Dale, & Bob

The Moore Round Robin continues to fly with cousins taking the places of those who have passed on. Gary is the last remaining of the 12 siblings and still participates in this letter exchange. The family continues to keep in touch and we hope it will continue for many years.

The Name Is The Same

Dick Moore meets Dick Moore at the Moore Family Reunion

Ever meet someone with the same name as you? I had the occasion to do just that at a family reunion of the Moores this last weekend.

My cousin, Eileen Nixon, set up a Moore Family Reunion at her retirement home in a special room for just such a purpose. Lunch was provided as we got a chance to chat with close and distant relatives from the Moore branch.

Go back two generations and you have the grandfathers of most of the ones that were there. Kids not included as I am a grandfather to two of the girls that attended this event. My grandfather was one of 12 kids in his family and he had 12 kids in his own family. So there are a lot of Moores out there. We had two of my grandfather's brothers represented at this reunion. Issac Pearl Moore, Howard Moore, and Jesse Irvin Moore (my grandfather) were part of that large family and had descendants at this luncheon.

Here is where the duplicate names come into play. Howard's grandson is Dick Moore. Jesse's grandson (me) is Dick Moore. Both of us were at this luncheon and met for the first time. I had heard of him before but never had an occasion to meet him. The other Dick Moore's dad was also Dick Moore. Getting confusing? I guess my name is more common than I thought. But when you have a lot of members of a family, they tend to use the same first names down the chain.

I'm Richard A. Moore. My son is Richard R. Moore. His son is Eric Richard Moore. Get the picture?

To add to the name confusion Richard R. Moore and Richard A. Moore are both married to Ann Moore except my son's wife spells her name with an "e" - Anne. Both couples live in Mission Viejo, California. He has received calls for me and I have received calls for him. Rick and I both sang bass in the Watchmen Gospel Quartet with Rick following his dad.

Sameness runs in our family.

Big Hand Of Welcome

This was a reply to me from my Uncle Gary (Gerald Moore) in 2005 at my request for the story of an incident that happened to me as a child of 5 years old. The picture above was taken at my grandparent's 35th wedding anniversary in 1939 in Troy, Ohio, when I was that age. I am the shy lad on the front row fourth from the right. So this BLOG item was written by a guest blogger, Uncle Gary, who is 9 1/2 years older than I. He has the distinction of being born on Halloween. Biggest scare his mother ever got! Gary was the last of 12 kids of my grandparents. He is the last one of his family still living.
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Dear Nephew,
Let me say first that you are very special person to me. As I have reviewed many times what you had to face by way of adjustment as a youngster, it warms my heart to see what you have accomplished with your life. You applied yourself so totally to all that you did, and more than once mutely challenged your uncle. You were remarkably free of upset and retaliation for any sort of wrongs. I loved to see you when you were elated about something ... your eyes became saucers, and your smile or laugh were like a morn in spring. I remember that you liked jello fervently! Once in particular, you came to the table, and seeing said commodity on the table, you lit up and almost shouted, "Oh boy ... JELLO!"

But my fondest memory is what took place one children's day program ... you were likely only five or six. You were supposed to greet and welcome everybody at the start. You had several lines which I can't remember, but you were supposed to say, "So I want to give everybody a great big hand of welcome". To make it graphic, somehow they had found a very large, hollow papier mache hand which fit over and dwarfed your hand. I could tell by the look on your face that you were a bit ill at ease, and when you didn't start your speech, I knew that your memory had left you. You had your hand behind you up until then, but in your distress, it crept around in front of you, and with your arm hanging down, the big hand fell off and hit the floor. Most of the kids went into laughter. Suddenly you came out of the blank look and joined in with the mirth, and breaking into a laugh yourself, you reached down, picked up the big hand, and tossed it a couple of feet into the air. The kids loved it! You reached down and picked up the hand again, and with utter glee, tossed it up as high as you could! As you were reaching for the hand again and the kids were "egging" you on, your daddy decided that maybe he had better go and get his little boy and take him back to the pew. It was beautiful! But I'm sure that everyone felt welcome.

Gary

UPDATE: I don't remember this incident. I lost my dad the next year (1940) to an illness that is curable today but wasn't then. He was 31 and I don't have any memory of him. Of course, Gary remembers his brother, Leonard, very well. He has been filling me in on some things that he recalls.

In the second row third from the right standing is my brother Ben who was two years older than I. My grandparents, Rev. Jesse I. and Mattie Moore are in the center. Behind my grandmother is my mother, Evelyn Moore. My dad is behind her right shoulder holding a sibling of mine which I believe is my brother, Bob. I have a sister, Faye, in the picture somewhere at age 2 but I don't know which one she is. Could be in the front row left. My sister, Lenna, came to the family in 1940, two months after our dad's passing. Uncle Gary is fourth row left. There eventually were 36 grandchildren giving me 31 cousins.