Edward Donald Moore

Edward Donald (Don) Moore, age 91, died peacefully on December 29, 2014, at The Arbor in Ridgeland, Mississippi. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 3, 2015, with visitation preceding at 10:00 a.m. at Parkway Funeral Home on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Burial will follow at Parkway Memorial Cemetery. Don was born and raised in Sardis, Mississippi, the third of nine children born to Benjamin and Luxora Moore. After graduating from Sardis High School, he served as a radio operator with the U.S. Army Air Corps in Burma during World War II, flying on C-47 cargo planes in and out of Japanese-held jungles and over the "hump" to China. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters.Don often said that the best thing that ever happened to him was meeting Doris Wilson, his future wife, while stationed briefly near her home in southeast Missouri before going overseas. Upon his return and discharge, Don and Doris were married on September 16, 1945, and immediately moved to Jackson, Mississippi. While working full time as an insurance claims adjuster, Don attended night classes at the Jackson School of Law. He graduated and was admitted to the Mississippi Bar Association in 1948, and then continued his career in insurance. In 1978, after 26 years with Zurich-American Insurance Companies, he retired as Corporate Senior Vice President and embarked on a second career by forming and serving as Chairman and CEO of Mississippi American Life Insurance Company.Don and Doris were charter members of Broadmoor Baptist Church. Don served as church attorney and trustee in Broadmoor's early years, as a Deacon, and Sunday School teacher for more than fifty years.Don and Doris had two sons: Alan in 1946 and Don in 1950. As a young father, Don especially enjoyed teaching his sons to play baseball. He was a dedicated Little League manager, league commissioner and President of the Servian Club. Other than being married for 66 years to the love of his life, Don's happiest times were being "Pop" to his grandchildren and great grandchildren, reading mysteries and tales of the old West, and following Ole Miss and the St. Louis Cardinals.Don was preceded in death by his wife, Doris; his son Don; his parents, Benjamin and Luxora; his brothers, Halfred, Ben, Warren, Shelby, Jolly Mac, Ray and Virgil; and his sister, Bessye. He is survived by his son, Alan (Julie), Jackson, MS; daughter-in-law, Mary Moore, Jackson, MS; grandchildren, Jennifer Verville (Greg), Signal Mountain, TN; Alan Moore II (Emily), Washington, D.C.; Story Warren (Todd), Jackson, MS; Amanda Kellum (Clayton), Nashville, TN; Elizabeth Moore, Signal Mountain, TN; and great grandchildren, Tori Tomokane-Verville and Coralie Verville, Signal Mountain, TN; Hudson Bridges, Houston and Hayden Warren, Jackson, MS; Ann Wilson and Zoe Kellum, Nashville, TN; and Archer and Livia Moore, Washington, D.C.; and numerous nieces and nephews.The family would like to thank the staff at The Arbor for the care and respect they gave to Don.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the charity of your choice