Joe Moore

1952 - 2021

Joe Moore

As the sun rose on April 29, Joe Moore passed peacefully. Joe was born August 13, 1952 to Jack and Penny Moore in Helena, Montana. He attended Catholic schools and graduated from Helena High School in 1970. Joe initially worked installing floors for Finstad Flooring and other companies. In 1977 he began his 44-year profession as a real estate appraiser with Moore Appraisal Firm. Joe trained under his father and later mentored his brother, sister, and nephew as they learned the appraisal business. He was instrumental in passing the first laws regarding appraisal licensing in Montana and was well respected by peers and clients alike. After spending his first years as a residential appraiser, Joe spent the last 20+ years doing commercial work, including many different types of property in Helena and around the state.

Joe's pride and joy were his daughter and 3 granddaughters. He often drove to Great Falls to have dinner with them or attend a school event. He bragged about their accomplishments and enjoyed watching them grow, get good grades, pass tests, and appreciate music. He helped build a house for Megan and the girls volunteering many weekends with NeighborWorks Great Falls, often enlisting other family members and friends to assist.

Joe was an enthusiastic, avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt and fish in Montana and Alaska. He was an accomplished taxidermist. While he taught himself taxidermy as a hobby, his mounts rivaled or exceeded those of many professionals. Joe made sure that his granddaughters, nieces, nephews, and other children caught fish and delighted in their joy as they hooked and landed a fish. For many years Joe meticulously tied his own flies. Joe taught hunter education to a generation of youth from the Elliston-Avon community. He enjoyed hearing stories about hunts from his students and seeing their pictures. Joe processed his own game together with his cousin Gary and Uncle Bud and was known for making excellent sausage.

As the oldest of eight children Joe was the big brother who would help on any project from building a house, plumbing, roofing, or flooring repairs, buying real estate, floating a river or sharing a hunt. He forged special relationships with each sibling and was treasured by all. Joe had a heart of gold. He valued his many friendships and routines of lunches, dinners, donuts, and ice cream with friends. He also went out of his way to help anyone who needed it.

Joe loved vehicles and spent endless hours working on them. He started with a classic Pontiac convertible and progressed through a series of trucks that sometimes seemed to be just a collection of parts moving in formation. Later he enjoyed driving his red Corvette with the Treasure State Corvettes and showing his 1959 Corvette at classic car rallies.

To say that Joe loved rock and roll music is an understatement. He could recite the lyrics to hundreds of songs from all eras. He attended live concerts whenever he could and liked to challenge others with music trivia. Joe was a diehard Seattle Seahawks fan seldom missing a game on television and occasionally attending in person. Joe had a great sense of humor and enjoyed joking and teasing with his family, friends, and waitresses. Coffee was a staple for Joe especially when paired with ice cream and friends. Many servers in town recognized Joe and had his coffee on the table within a minute of his arrival. Joe was proud of all his friendships and especially a long-term relationship with Bill W.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents Jack B. and Ruth Mary (Penny) Moore. Joe is survived by his daughter Megan Moore (Bill Gardner) and granddaughters Mariah Redfern, Reina Crawford, and Emma Jo Gardner of Great Falls; his siblings Lou Moore (Hal Aasen), Tim Moore (Liz), Dan Moore (Lori), all of Helena; Sue Moore (Pete Stabio) of Polson; Nancy Rossmiller (Dana) of Lewistown; Maureen Moore of Spokane and Mary Kay Linke (Craig) of Helena as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

At Joe's request there will be no funeral service. Friends and family are invited to stop by the Fairgrounds Picnic Shelter on Sunday, May 16th from 2 to 4ish to share memories and celebrate Joe's life.

Memorials may be made to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Powell County Search and Rescue, or a charity of your choice. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Joe.