Robert Eugene Moore's Obituary
Robert Eugene (Bobby) Moore passed away Monday, April 17, 2023 at Methodist Le Bonheur Hospital Germantown. He was 87.
Mr. Moore was born February 17, 1936 in Lexington, Kentucky. His earliest memories involved playing with his cousins among the headstones of the Lexington Episcopal Burying Ground where his grandfather was the groundskeeper.
Upon his father's return from the Navy in World War II, Mr. Moore and his parents moved to Memphis where he attended Treadwell Elementary and High School, graduating in 1956. He was a Boy Scout and a member of the DeMolay's. At Treadwell, Mr. Moore was a part of the 1951 City Championship Junior High Football Team and in his senior year was named to the All-Memphis Football team. He was sought by the University of Alabama and Vanderbilt University.
After completing courses at the General Motors Training School, he entered the Army in 1957 where he was stationed at Fort Polk Louisiana and was honorably discharged in 1960. In late 1961, he was recalled into the Army for the Berlin and Cuban Missile Crisis, where he was a part of Army Special Forces.
Upon his return from the Army in 1963, Mr. Moore began a long career in the automotive business in Memphis, first working for Dewey Motor Company (VW), Union Chevrolet, Chuck Hutton Dodge, and eventually working for Chrysler Corporation in the Mopar Division for 28 years.
Mr. Moore was an avid fan and participant in the sport of drag racing. He was an early member of and an officer in the Memphis Rodders, a club that was a part of the National Hot Rod Association, which was a base of support for Lakeland International Raceway. He also was a part owner of Collierville Dragstrip in the late 1960s. Mr. Moore raced all types of cars, eventually owning two funny cars: The Arkansas Razorback and the Super Duster. He not only enjoyed driving but also working and engineering the cars for speed.
After retiring from Chrysler in 1997, Mr. Moore remained active in the car hobby owning a 1935 Ford Street Rod. He was an active member and officer in the Shelby County Street Rods club and traveled to many National Street Rod Association events over the past 23 years.
Mr. Moore was a member of Macon Road Presbyterian Church and Ridgeway Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents James Moore and Margaret Breeze Moore. He leaves behind his high school sweetheart and devoted wife of 63 years Georgia Russell Moore and their son Robert E. Moore, Jr.
Funeral services will be held at Memorial Park Funeral Home on April 26, 2023 with visitation from 11-12noon and service at 1 p.m. Final resting place will be at Memphis Memory Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
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