Thomas "Jerry" Jerald Moore

Thomas Jerald Moore, Jr.



Thomas Jerald Moore left this world peacefully on June 21, 2025, surrounded by his family. He was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, and friend, and his impact on those who had the good fortune of knowing him was profound.

The only son of Lilian Marshall and Thomas Jerald Moore Sr., Jerry was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on December 22, 1940, before moving with his family at the age of seven to what he considered his hometown of Harrison, Arkansas. At Harrison High School, he grew into a celebrated Golden Goblin student-athlete, a standout for the football, basketball, and track teams. Summer league baseball was also a great passion.

Following his high school graduation, Jerry accepted a scholarship to study and play football for the University of Arkansas, becoming a life-long Razorback. He proudly competed on the gridiron, earning the praise of teammates and coaches alike. Jerry was equally proud of his academic performance, including never missing a single class in his four years as an undergraduate. However, his most important moment in Fayetteville was meeting his forever love, Gail Blossom, on a blind date at a Sigma Chi pledge dance during their freshman year. They dated all through their college years, and Jerry often said, "I knew that first night that I wanted to spend my life with her." With Jerry by her side, Gail went on to become the Sweetheart of Sigma Chi and the 1961 Cotton Bowl Queen.

Following graduation in 1962, they married and moved to Little Rock, as Jerry began his 30-year career with Aetna, beginning as an employee benefits representative and finishing his career as senior vice president and chief operating officer of Aetna Health Plans. During those years, his steadfast loyalty to Aetna and its people, incredible listening skills, and keen wisdom drew people to him and made him an invaluable mentor. A former colleague characterized him as "the model of grace in the face of every challenge." Jerry's Aetna career took the Moore family around the country from San Antonio to San Francisco to Atlanta and finally, into the home headquarters in Hartford. Throughout his many years of service, Jerry made enduring friendships with countless colleagues, the closest of whom formed a group known as "The Bad Boys." They have gathered frequently for reunions in years hence.

In the early 1990s, after retiring from Aetna, Jerry joined his childhood best friend, David Banks, at Beverly Enterprises in Fort Smith, Arkansas as executive vice president and later as president and chief executive officer of American Transitional Hospitals, a Beverly subsidiary in Nashville, Tennessee.

For his final career chapter, his love for alma mater called him back to Fayetteville to serve as head of the University of Arkansas Foundation. Jerry enjoyed immensely being a part of the Razorback family once again and derived great pleasure and pride in attending football, basketball, baseball games and other University-sponsored events. He also loved to gather with former teammates and others to share stories and honor their bonds of friendship. A close college teammate once said, "Jerry is not one to be in the spotlight or the most vocal. Instead, he sits back and waits for his turn. He is the kind of person who makes your heart smile."



Jerry had many hobbies and interests which included golf, collecting baseball cards, sport magazines, and toy soldiers, but his true passion was his family. His wife of 63 years, Gail, and his daughters, Tracy Moore Chandler, Lesley Owens Moore, and Caroline Moore Broadfoot, were the center of his world. Jerry especially loved being a father and champion of girls. Despite never having played either sport, he happily spent nearly every weekend for years coaching various youth soccer and lacrosse teams on which his daughters competed. Later, he was a constant presence on the sidelines of fields and the sideboards of rinks, cheering on his daughters in prep school and college sports. His love and devotion knew no bounds and included sons-in-law, Chisholm Chandler and Elliot Broadfoot, and nine grandchildren, Zachary, Halle, Rusty and Lily Chandler, Thomas Moore and Jack Montmeat, and Sumner, Marshall and CeCe Broadfoot. Jerry's gentle manner, good humor, and calming wisdom defined him as a husband, father, grandfather and friend.

Finally, he cherished the many wonderful friendships they made in the places that he and Gail called home including West Hartford, Palm City, Fayetteville, and most recently, Old Lyme. Their summer home at Old Black Point was uniquely special, as Jerry was determined to have a place for his daughters and their families to come home to no matter where his business career took them.

A celebration of Jerry's life will be held for family and friends at the First Congregational Church in Old Lyme, CT on Monday, June 30th at 2pm. There will be a reception at The Old Lyme Inn immediately following the service.