Thomas Holmes "Bud" Moore

1920 - 2013

NEW HAMPTON - Thomas Holmes "Bud" Moore of New Hampton, husband of Norma Jean "Jinga" Smith Moore, died peacefully Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013. He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas Russell Moore and Lillian Thompson Moore. He was 93 years old.

Born on June 14, 1920, in Grafton, Bud grew up in Penacook, before attending the New Hampton School on scholarship as one of headmaster Fred Smith's "Worthy Boys," graduating in 1938. During the summers of his high school years, Bud worked for Grace Smith at New Hampton School's summer hotel, The Mansion, where he met his future wife, the Smith's daughter, young Norma Jean.

The first in his family to attend college, Bud worked his way through Middlebury College playing trumpet in the college's pep and dance bands. In the summer of 1941, he and his fellow Middlebury musicians were the house band at the Jungle Ballroom on Newfound Lake, and that fall, rather than return to college, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Air Corps where he achieved the rank of senior aviator at the age of 21. He flew observation missions off two battleships, the Indiana and the New Mexico, and toward the end of the war was awarded the Navy Air Medal. While in the South Pacific, Bud sought the blessing of his former headmaster, and he and Jinga married on Sept. 9, 1944, in the New Hampton Community Church while he was on leave.

After the war, Bud returned to New Hampshire, finished his college degree at Middlebury in 1946, and attended the Breadloaf School of English. That fall, he accepted a position at New Hampton School teaching English and conducting the school's Glee Club and Dance Band. Busy years followed and included the births of five children: Thomas, Jr.; Andrew; Jamyn; Robinson; and Elibet.

At New Hampton School, Bud successively held the positions of English department head, registrar, director of the summer session, director of admissions, and executive headmaster. In 1959, he succeeded his father-in-law as headmaster and in 1972 was named president. He led the school for 32 years, retiring in 1991, and he served as a valuable member of the New Hampton School Board of Trustees until his death. Always infusing humor and good will into his everyday tasks, Bud was loved and admired by legions of New Hampton School students, parents, and faculty.

Bud whistled his way through life, often spontaneously scat singing riffs from the Big Band Era. He sang in various barbershop quartets and enjoyed entertaining at restaurants in exchange for dinner. An active supporter of the New Hampshire Music Festival for over thirty years, Bud served as its president for 12 years, and he sang with and served as chairman of the board of the Pemigewasset Choral Society. Bud and Jinga traveled extensively with the NH Friendship Chorus. For many years, Bud was moderator at the New Hampton Community Church, and he directed the church choir for over 50 years. He also served as moderator for the town of New Hampton, using his strong communication skills to maintain order at town meetings.

A tireless champion of educational opportunity, Bud served on the Independent School Association of Northern New England (ISANNE) for 45 years; the Non-Public School Advisory Committee for 30 years, rising to the position of chairman; the Northern New England Foundation for Independent Schools, serving as president for 17 years; the New England Association of Schools and Colleges for 14 years, rising to the position of president; and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) for six years.

Bud lent his wisdom and fund-raising skills to countless boards throughout the state of New Hampshire, usually in leadership positions, most notably the following: Bristol Bank, Mayhew Program, Lakes Region General Hospital, Gordon-Nash Library, Bristol Chamber of Commerce, NH State Library commission, NH Library Trustees Association, NH Council on World Affairs, Concord Group Insurance Company, New Hampshire Public Broadcasting Council, and many more. He was secretary of Bristol's Father Bennett's Boys Club.

In 1977, Bud was awarded an honorary doctor of law from Franklin Pierce College. In 1982, he received UNH's highest honor, the Pettee Medal, for distinguished service to the state of New Hampshire, and in 1986 he was voted an NH Notable. In 2008, Bud received the Granite State Award after giving the commencement address at Plymouth State University.

Bud leaves his wife of 69 years, Norma Jean "Jinga Moore; his sister, Olive Calef of Exeter; his five children and their spouses, Tom and Tina Moore of Rohnert Park, Calif., Andy and Suzi Moore of New Hampton, Jamie and Paul Sheff of Boylston, Mass., Rob and Laura Moore of Groton, Mass. and Elibet and George Chase of Concord; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

The family wishes to extend the utmost thanks to the caregivers at The Retreat and Nursing Home at Golden View and at Forest View Manor for the wonderful care and love they provided to Bud and Jinga over the past year.

A celebration of Bud's life will be held Sunday, Aug. 25, at 2 p.m. at New Hampton School's lower gymnasium on. All are welcome.

Memorial donations may be made to the T. Holmes and Norma Jean Moore Endowed Scholarship Fund at New Hampton School, newhampton.org or c/o Sandy Colhoun, 70 Main St., New Hampton, 03256, or to the Mayhew Program, mayhew.org, or P.O. Box 120, 293 West Shore Road, Bristol, 03222.