Rev. Dr. Michael Penn Moore

Rev. Dr. Michael Penn Moore

OAK HARBOR: Rev. Dr. Michael Penn Moore, 70 of Oak Harbor, OH and formerly of Rocky River, OH passed away Thursday, April 27, 2017 at Riverview Health Care Campus, Oak Harbor. On March 12, 1947 he was born in Lima, OH to the late Ray S. and Jane (Penn) Moore. Michael was a 1969 graduate of Heidelberg College where he met his wife Cathy Gyde.

Michael attended then attended Yale Divinity School, receiving his Master of Divinity Degree in 1972 and a Master of Sacred Theology Degree in 1974. In October of 1974, he was ordained by the New Haven Association of the United Church of Christ at Killam's Point Conference and Retreat Center, where Michael was the Resident Director. Killam's Point is on Long Island Sound, on property belonging to the Branford (Connecticut) UCC Church, which joined with a dozen other area UCC Congregations in a ministry aimed at bringing together issues of Christian faith and environmental/ecological concerns- the focus of Rev. Michael's seminary training.

In 1975, Michael and Cathy moved to a small mountain town in Absarokee, Montana, where Michael served as pastor for 7 years at Community Congregational Church. Following that tenure, Michael was called as pastor of United Church of Christ in Petaluma, California, a mid-sized church formed from the union of the local Congregational and Evangelical & Reformed Congregations. The tug of family was sufficiently strong to prompt a move back to Ohio in 1988, where he served Church of the Redeemer United Church of Christ in Westlake. During his service at Redeemer UCC, Michael earned a Doctor of Ministry Degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, ILL and was awarded a Lilly Grant for clergy renewal, which allowed him and Cathy to spend a sabbatical leave visiting churches in Germany and England. Since retiring in 2012, Michael was able to pursue some of his many interests, which included photography, backpacking, gardening, and model railroading. He held a black belt in Judo and has been a singer since childhood. He will be forever remembered to many for his lively wit, sense of humor, and caring nature towards others.

Survivors include his wife of 47 years Cathy of Oak Harbor; sister Laurie J. (John) Vanderslice of San Diego, CA; brother Thomas K. (Rebecca) Moore of Port Orchard, WA. A "treasured" in-Law, he was an uncle, great- uncle and friend to many.

Visitation will be Saturday, May 20th from 2-8pm at the Crosser Funeral Home and Cremation Service, Oak Harbor Chapel. A Memorial Service will begin at 2pm on Sunday, May 21, 2017 at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Oak Harbor with the Rev. David A. Voll officiating. Interment will be in the Columbarium at Church of Redeemer United Church of Christ, Westlake, OH. Memorial Contributions are being directed to assist the education of future Pastors at Yale Divinity School. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.crosserfuneralhome.com.