Bernard E Moore

Written by his wife.

My Bernie was a good human, and he has left us with many wonderful memories. 19

years my senior, we met in 1990 in a nearly love at first sight encounter. 33 years later it

comes to an end, peacefully, in our living room, after a valiant battle with emphysema.

Bernie was born on 5 Jan 1951 in Coudersport, PA, to Arthur Henry Moore and Maurita

Mae Sims. He was one of eight children who in 1958 were abandoned in their home in

Benton City, MO, by their mother while their father was away at an Army National

Guard training. The children managed for two weeks on their own, stealing from the

corner store and from neighbors’ gardens. Having discovered they were alone, a kind

neighbor contacted authorities, invited the children over for a homecooked meal, and

after their tummies were full, they were picked up by the state. That would be the last

meal they shared.

The two youngest children, Donovan Patrick Moore and Timothy Elwood Moore, and

one older sister, Ramona, were adopted by families in Missouri. The remaining five

children were moved to Pennsylvania to be fostered in three separate households by the

same family that raised their father a generation before.

Donovan perished in a vehicle accident prior to his siblings tracking down his

whereabouts. They located Timothy in 1999 in Columbia, MO. Ramona reunited with

her brothers and sisters when she was 17.

Bernie and his older brother, Jonathan Gary Moore, were fostered by Melb and Vera

Jeffers on a dairy farm on Cowley Hill Road in Austin, PA. Bernie and Jonathan had a

close, albeit unique and at times tumultuous, relationship. Jonathan traveled to

Missouri in August of 2022 for our 30th wedding anniversary celebration. With neither

of them being in good health, they knew it would be the last time they would be in the

presence of the other. Hugs were exchanged and bygones were forgiven. Jonathan won

the race to life’s finish line on 10 Apr 2023 with Bernie following just 41 days later.

Their younger brother Charles Delano “Charlie” Moore grew up in the house next to

Bernie and Jonathan. Charlie died in a vehicle accident in 1991. Bernie mentioned him

often.

As it turned out, there was a ninth sibling – Surprise! Debra “Debi” Patrice (Len)

Peterson was still in the oven when the family split in 1958. Debi discovered as a young

adult that she had eight older siblings, and she finally met some of them at their father’s

funeral when she was 21 years old. Debi was an amazing singer who rivaled Janice

Joplin herself when she sang Me and Bobby McGee. She passed away in 2016 and we

miss her.

Bernie’s two older sisters, Ramona Maurine (Arthur, deceased) Wagner and LaDonna

Jeannine “The Bitch” Gustafson, were frequent visitors to our home. We played cards,

watched Bernie’s hummingbirds feeding in the backyard on the feeders he kept clean

and full, ragged on each other, and laughed . . . a lot. The Busch beers went down

smoothly anytime Bernie and LaDonna got together, and if you are wondering about

“The Bitch”, Bernie gave LaDonna that nickname many years ago and she wears it

proudly.

LaDonna and Ramona, Bernie loved you deeply and he cherished the special

relationship you all maintained over the years through many ups and downs. You’ve lost

two brothers this year and I know you are heartbroken, but all Bernie wanted for you is

for you to be happy, take care of yourselves, live well, cherish your families, and laugh as

much as possible.

At the age of 17, Bernie volunteered for service in the United States Army with a goal of

serving in Vietnam, which he did in 1969 and 1970. He didn’t talk much about his

experience there, but I do know that after a particularly traumatic event shortly after his

arrival he decided he didn’t much care to be mingled into a large group of men in the

infantry, so he quickly maneuvered his way into the Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol

(LRRP) where he spent the rest of his time there patrolling deep into enemy-held

territory with five-six man teams reporting back to the front lines. He told me that the

jungle was very unwarlike at times, and he enjoyed many moments of tranquility. That’s

all he had to say about that.

Upon his return from Vietnam and before being stationed in Germany for what would

be, I believe, a total of seven years of service in the Army, he married his first wife,

Barbara. They had two daughters - Amy Renee Moore and Christi Lynn Moore. His

regrets were many with you girls and he doesn’t expect you will be terribly distressed

about his passing, but he loved you immensely.

Bernie was the owner and operator of Bernie Moore Roofing and Sheet Metal in Tampa,

FL, for most of the 1980’s. In 1990, on a visit to Olean, NY, to see Jonathan and

LaDonna, he met me, Jodi Marie Smead. We married on 11 September 1992 and

welcomed our first child, Christopher Eugene “Chris” (Anita) Moore, three weeks later.

Yes, I said three weeks. Chill, it was the 90’s not the 50’s. Our second child arrived in

1994, Allison Marie “Ally” (Monty) Moore. They were good kids and have become kind

and compassionate adults.

Bernie and I were band favorites at the clubs in Bradford, PA, because they knew we

would get everyone up dancing early. There was not a dance floor we couldn’t tear up!

Bernie’s daughter, Amy, said her dad became a jellyfish when he danced, like he had no

bones in his body. She was right!

From 1991 to 1995, we operated a small tree removal and home repair business, J&B

Services. Watching Bernie take the limbs off a big ole pine tree on the way up the tree,

climbing with boot hooks and a leather strap, his chainsaw attached to a rope around his

waist, was exciting, more than a little sexy, and often quite scary – especially when it

came to “topping” the tree. Those of you who witnessed this process back in the day

know what I mean. He was fearless, muscular, fit, slightly cocky, and a perfect

gentleman, or not when appropriate.

In 1995 we opened a café in Bradford, PA, and named it Chris-N-Ally’s Café. With the

help of our Sysco food rep, Ed Hayden, Bernie designed signature sandwiches for the

cafe, such as the USS BLT, the Titanic, and the Snakebite, all becoming fan favorites.

Chris nicknamed his dad “The Cooker” because he would see Bernie working at the grill

and deep fryers, and Ally was the cutest little dish washer you ever saw. We had an oldfashioned

ice cream and soda bar. Then, when the internet became available in

Bradford, we opened an area for the public to use the internet while enjoying a drink or

a bite to eat. It was a fabulous idea but an internet café in the mid-90’s proved to be a bit

ahead of it’s time for the area.

Bernie wrote a political column titled “Moore Opinions” for a local newspaper in

Bradford, PA, throughout the mid-to-late-90’s. He was pretty good at pissing people off

and quickly earned the nickname “The Jerk” by one of the county commissioners, Bud

Beck, who penned a competing periodical. Even with their polar opposite opinions on

most everything, they became fast friends after Bernie walked up to Bud at the

Downbeat Restaurant, and with an extended hand, introduced himself as “The Jerk”.

We relocated to Phoenix, AZ, in 1999 where Bernie worked with CDI Corporation

installing and maintaining DSL networks, which were high-speed internet connections

that worked through existing telephone lines. Phoenix was a test city for the new

technology at the time. He excelled at his work and was promoted to supervisor of an

elite team of technicians.

In 2004 we moved to Mexico, MO, and we have remained in the area ever since, now

residing in Columbia, MO. Bernie worked for M & M Golf Cars in Mexico, MO, until his

retirement in 2011.

Bernie was a wonderful husband. We were a team, at least most of the time. If anyone

ever tells you they had 30 wonderful years, they would be lying. We had a few rough

years mixed in, years that we weren’t sure we would make it, but love prevailed, we

worked it out together, and came out stronger.

There were no monuments erected in Bernie’s honor, no life-time achievement awards

presented to him, no parks named after him, but none-the-less, he will never be

forgotten by those who knew him. He was a wonderful cook. He could learn anything

he set his mind to, he was skilled at billiards, darts, washers, trivia, Scrabble, and pretty

much any card game. He taught us to love the little things that many see as

insignificant. He loved all the tiny creatures of the outdoors and when they came

indoors, he carefully captured them and returned them to their natural habitats. He

enjoyed spending time goofing around with Chris and Ally and was especially fond of his

precious granddaughter, Shane Marie Moore, who sat at the table with her Grumpa

playing card games and building stuff with magnets. He was just getting to know sweet

Ollie Wolfe, his grandson by love, but he already loved that little red-headed spitfire who

can put puzzles together like no other, just like his Grumpa.

I remember Bernie trying to teach me how to play Pinocle. It was in our first couple

years of marriage, and after several attempts and me not getting it, he made the

unfortunate remark, “Jeez Jodi, even a monkey learns from repetition”. I think that was

the first time he recognized the totality of who he married. It was several months before

we played cards again, and it took a few years for it to become funny, but “even a

monkey learns from repetition” became one of our often-used quotes and it always

brought a smile, or a smirk, depending on the context.

As his emphysema progressed and he became more limited, Bernie became a talented

jigsaw puzzler, bird enthusiast, and photographer. I know his Facebook friends and

family will miss seeing new wildlife photos and videos pop up on his timeline, but his

Facebook page will remain available to anyone needing a little nature therapy.

When Chris and Ally were little, Bernie would carry them, one on each shoulder, taking

them to the park to slide and swing and climb. He would take them to the town square

to pick up trash and pull them around town in their big red wagon. In Arizona, he

would roller blade with them to school or from the babysitters to home. Bernie was a fun

dad and I know Chris and Ally will keep his goofiness alive.

Bernie’s Aunt Shirley held a special place in his heart having become more of a mom to

him than an aunt, and he loved her and Uncle Bunky dearly.

Bernie was very close with some of his nieces and nephews. He loved to embarrass his

niece, Dierdre (Jeremy) Simpson, regarding the day she was born (if you know, you

know). They always had a special bond, and Dierdre named her last born child

Bernadette, after her Uncle Bernie.

While hitchhiking his way across the country on his way to Washington state to catch a

flight to Vietnam in 1969, he stopped in Missouri to see his nephew, Wesley (Stacey)

Wise on the day he was born. Bernie admired Wes for the upstanding father he is to his

three daughters, for his good humor, and for always being there when we needed a

helping hand. He also really enjoyed the day that Wes taught him how to play pool at a

bar in Olean, NY.

He loved a deep conversation with his nephew, David (Genevieve) Gustafson. The two

of them could solve all the world’s problems in a single conversation. Just ask them.

David, Bernie loved you so much.

Bernie had many other nieces and nephews. He enjoyed any time he was able to spend

with them, either in person, on the phone, or via Facebook. They are, in no particular

order . . .

Angela Mikkelsen

Arthur Gustafson, Deceased

Jeremy (Dawn) Watson

Nicholas (Abby) Watson

Glen (Kim) Wagner

Jessica “Nici” (Adam) Jones

Erika (Tyler) Jones

Adam (Christina) Jones

Butch (Micaela) Jones

David Moore

Donovan Moore

Michelle (Silas) Moore

Kimberly Abercrombie, Missing from Brooksville, KY, since 13 June 2013

Matthew Moore

Julie Doud

DJ (Marie) Moore

Daniel Moore

Shannon Moore

John (Christy) Grant

Bernie had six other grandchildren from his older daughter Amy. They are Spencer

(Brittany) Moore, Benjamin Moore, PJ Moore, Isacc (last name unknown), Stevie

Kresoja and Rachel Kresoja. He also has three beautiful great-grands, Jadyn, Naliya,

and Samya, who currently reside in Japan with their parents Spencer and Brittany.

Bernie’s last message to his family and friends and to anyone who will listen, is that our

decisions shape our destiny. Take care of your bodies and your minds. They require

care and maintenance. Had Bernie not smoked, he would be here with us today, he

would be healthy, and he would be giving us all a rough time and keeping us on our toes

as only Bernie could do for many years to come.

Following his wishes, there will be no public services, but if he touched your life in a

positive way, he encourages you to enjoy a beverage of your choice across the table from

a can of Busch beer and remember the good times.

Oh, my sweet Bernie . . . saying goodbye to you is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I

miss you so much that it physically hurts sometimes, but you know I wish you peace

from the burdens of your heart, mind, and physical body. There was never a day that I

ever doubted you loved me with all your heart, and I love you with all of mine.

Until we meet again, My Love.

End of story.

No . . . I think we’ll end this differently, in true Bernie fashion . . . If you ever need a

good telemarketer brush-off, Bernie had some of the best. My favorite was, “It’s going to

sound like I hung up, but you just keep talking.”