Ernest “Paul” Moore, Jr.

October 15, 1930 – April 22, 2020

Ernest Paul Moore, Jr., 83, passed away peacefully on April 22, 2020, in St. Louis, Missouri.

Born in Perry, Oklahoma on October 15, 1930, he was the son of Ernest Paul Moore Sr and Florence Lidell Branen Moore. Following his graduation from Perry high school he joined the naval reserve where he held the rating of seaman first class. He enrolled at Northern Oklahoma Junior College, Tonkawa, for the 1948-49 academic year. He was a member of the choral group, Thespians, and named to the Dean’s honor roll.

In September, 1949, he was awarded a naval reserve ROTC scholarship to attend Oklahoma University. At OU he received numerous honors and awards: Outstanding NROTC sophomore in the study of naval weapons; was elected to the student senate; named to the Eta Kappa Nu, national honorary engineering fraternity, where he was elected president; Trident, a naval reserve officer social organization that he was instrumental in forming, and served as charter president and vice president; NROTC midshipmen’s social society, where he was elected executive officer; Sigma Tau and Eta Kappa Nu, honorary academic engineering fraternities; was a member of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers; the Ham club of the naval reserve officers; was elected vice president of the senior class at the University; was one of 40 students at OU listed in the 1953 edition of “American College Student Leaders”; was among five Sooners chosen to receive the Cecil W. Armstrong award for 1952-53; was among 191 students named “Big Men and Women on Campus”; and received a Navy ROTC award for outstanding work in the program. Mr. Moore graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1953 with an Electrical Engineering Degree and was hired by Southwestern Bell before entering the Navy.

He served three years aboard the aircraft carrier, The Siboney, as the electronics officer and resigned with the rank of Lieutenant.

On December 22, 1955, he and Betty Jo Adair were married. They resided in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he began his career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company, his career spanned 37 years, wherein he held numerous titles and was transferred 8 times before retiring in St. Louis, Missouri in 1990 as Assistant Vice-President of Network.

Mr. Moore was a longtime member of Manchester United Methodist Church where he was always supportive and he and his family were very active. He was also a Mason and reached the Knights of Templer Degree.

Paul had a love of sailing and his entire family participated and made it one of their hobbies. He was Chairman of the Board for Carlyle Sailing Association for 13 years. He earned his amateur radio license at age 15, which became one of his passions for the rest of his life. He was a master craftsman and created many lovely wood pieces such as a rocking cradle for his grandchildren, tool chest, standing cribbage board, teak wood tripod for this telescope, trunks, and many sailing trophies over the years. He was a family man first, devout Christian, outspoken conservative and loved birds and animals.

Predeceasing him were his parents and sister, Betty Lee (late Gene) Koenig of Glen Carbon, II.

Survivors include: his wife, Betty Jo; sons, Ernest Paul (Cheryl) Moore, III of New Melle, MO., Barry Adair (Kimberly) Moore of Dallas, Texas; daughters, Lori Lee (and the late John) Cannon of Chesterfield, MO. and Marti Sue (Chris) Nagel of Cleveland, Ohio; grandchildren, Monica Erin Moore, Christopher Paul Moore, Kaysie Katherine (Parker) Patton, William Adair Moore, Rachel Lee Cannon, Daniel Edward Cannon, Andrew John Cannon, Madison Elizabeth Niemann and Eleanor Adair (Ryan) Berger; great-grandchildren, Nolan Wayne Patton; and niece Lisa Lee (Pete) Huskey of Glen Carbon, IL.

A memorial service will be held privately. Interment will be at the Manchester Methodist Cemetery, Manchester, MO. Contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, The Salvation Army, or any charity of your choice.