Howard W. Moore

PAXTON – Howard W. Moore, 96, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 16, 2020 at the Knollwood Nursing Center. He was born June 21, 1924, in Greensboro, NC, the son of George R. and Lalla R. (Patterson) Moore and had lived in Paxton since 1963 before moving to the Briarwood Continuing Care Community in 2014.

His beloved wife of 65 years, C. Lorraine (Kersey) Moore, passed away in 2016. He leaves his daughter, Melinda Moore of Tacoma, WA; three sons, K. Douglas Moore of Holden, George Moore and his wife Donna of Sherborn, and Stephen Moore and his wife Beth of Milton, GA. ten grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, Ava and Audrey, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister and three brothers: Margaret, Ralph, Robert, and Rieves Moore.

Howard grew up in Richmond,Virginia during the depression, and first exhibited his propensity for public service when he served as student council president at Binford Junior HS, and president of his class at Thomas Jefferson HS. He matriculated at the University of Richmond until, like most of his generation, his college education was interrupted by WW2. Howard joined the US Navy through the V12 program, was recognized as a superior navigator and became Commanding Officer of the Landing Craft Infantry 1093, which primarily provided battle support in the Pacific, including at Saipan and the invasion of Okinawa in which he and two of his brothers participated unbeknownst to each other, Ralph on an aircraft carrier, Bob as a marine, and Howard on the LCI. The greatest dangers he faced were the typhoons, and he would relate the aftermath of these storms as he surveyed the sea around him littered with ships that had foundered.

After the war Howard finished his bachelor's degree at University of Richmond, earned his MBA at the Wharton School of UPenn, and began his career in financial management at Freeport Minerals and Rayoneer Inc. in NYC. He and Lorraine married and started their family in Darien and New Canaan CT, while frequently heading to the ballrooms of NYC where they earned a reputation as a formidable dance team. Throughout their long marriage, they never failed to turn heads on the dance floor.
It was at this time, the early 60's, that Howard and Lorraine discovered their love for platform tennis, and the trophy cases at the Lake Club in New Canaan CT, and Tatnuck CC in Worcester, will attest to their skill and success as a mixed doubles team. Howard also had considerable success on the NE men's circuit, where he earned the nickname, the "Iron Duke," for his unyielding net play. Outside of the platform tennis season, Howard and Lorraine spent much time on the tennis court with family and friends.

In 1964 Howard took the position of Vice President and Controller of the Textile Machinery Group at Crompton and Knowles Corp. in Worcester Ma, and moved his family to a big old, wonderful house near the center of Paxton, where they enjoyed an idyllic small-town life for the next 50 years. Like many of his generation, he remained steadfastly devoted to his family, his church, and his community, serving as Little League coach, treasurer of Paxton Congregational Church for many years, Selectman of the Town of Paxton, Treasurer of the Wachusett School Committee, Trustee of Consumer's Savings Bank and Hahnemann Hospital, and director of the Boston Chapter of the Financial Executives Institute. For 18 years he held the position of Executive Vice President of Parker Manufacturing Co. in Worcester, from which he retired in 1989.

After retirement, Howard became active in the International Executive Service Corps organization, which sends retired businesspeople as emissaries to share their expertise all over the world, and he and his wife Lorraine made some great friends and had some wonderful experiences in Poland, Lithuania, and Malawi as part of this organization.

The Moore family would like to sincerely thank the Paxton Senior Center, the staff at Briarwood Retirement Community and Knollwood Nursing Center in Worcester, and the Overlook Hospice team for providing excellent care to Howard and Lorraine. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Howard's name to any of the organizations above.