Jack Moore, 96, passed away at Harbor Grace Hospice of Atlanta on November 5, 2020. Born in Charleston, SC, on August 18, 1924, he was the son of John M. Moore, Sr., a machinist and merchant sailor and Alice Cahill Moore, who worked in the office of Standard Oil in the People’s Bank Building on Broad Street. Sadly, Alice died during childbirth. With his father often away at sea, Jack was raised by his Great Aunt, Miss Aggie Blake, who worked as a cigar maker at the Charleston Cigar Factory.
Jack attended St. Patrick’s elementary school and graduated from Bishop England High in 1941. He often recalled fond memories of hunting for marsh hens and rabbits behind Magnolia Cemetery, fishing in the harbor, and swimming from the Columbus Street dock to Drum Island. After high school, he went to work at “Cremo College,” as the cigar factory was known to many, but soon left to join the navy following the attack on Pearl Harbor. Jack served honorably as coxswain aboard LST’s, delivering troops to the beaches of the Aleutian and South Pacific Islands.
After the war, he returned to Charleston to partake of what he called, “the 52:20 Club,” which was part of the GI Bill. Instead of college, he and his cousin Lawrence opted to receive $20 for 52 weeks. In the years following the war, Jack served as a crewmember aboard merchant ships bound for New York, Cuba, Jacksonville, and New Orleans. Mostly, however, he and Lawrence lifted weights on Folly Beach and entered local boxing contests. Of this period, Miss Aggie no doubt admonished her precious Jackie for spending too much time playing poker and pool in King Street tap rooms.
Tired of earning only “beer money” on a tender keeping watch over mothballed navy ships up the Cooper River, he took the civil service exam to begin a career with the US Post Office, first as part of the railway mail service from Charleston to Florence, and later, for a position in Atlanta. While attending services at Sacred Heart Church, he met Anne Murphy, who would become his wife of 56 years, until her passing in 2009. His patience and devotion to his wife in her final years of failing health was an inspiration to all and a testament to the enormous capacity of his loving heart.
Though Atlanta would remain his residence, he never lost his Charleston accent, or his deep love for its marshes, harbor, and the ocean beyond its jetties. His three children grew up knowing that the bathroom was called the head and learned to tell time based on the ship’s clock, with its system of one through eight bells every four hours to mark the change of watch.
A lifelong avid reader with an observant eye for the natural environment, family vacations were spent camping. When visiting “his people” in Charleston, they camped on the Isle of Palms in the area that is now Wild Dunes Resort, only it was really wild back then. When it came to setting up the large canvas Coleman tent, Captain Ahab would have blushed at the shouts and commands given by Captain Jack ordering his meager crew until every pole, stake, and line was sufficiently secured for the inevitable squall bearing down upon them. Camping at Lake Rabun in the North Georgia mountains also became a family favorite. The love of Rabun County remains with his children, where each owns a home not far from the campground.
Middle-aged, overweight and out of shape, Jack took up running, completing the Isle of Palms Marathon at age 55 in 3:30, and winning or placing in his age group in many races, including several Cooper River Bridge Runs. He ran regularly until age 75. Jack’s physical strength and dexterity would continue to amaze until his final days. And yet, it was his spiritual side for which he was most known by many close friends and the clergy of Christ The King, his parish for over fifty years where he attended Mass daily for as long as he was able. A believer in serving his community after retirement, he earned recognition for having the greatest number of volunteer hours one year for Meals On Wheels.
Father, it’s eight bells and your watch is done. Go in peace, PopJack, our beloved Old Man of the sea.
Jack is survived by his three children: Marian Martin (Greg) of Lakemont, GA, Marty Moore of Turnerville, GA, and Michele Moore (Trish) of Charleston, SC, as well as his grandchildren: Patrick Martin (Mary) of Greenville, Annie Martin (Jeff) of Atlanta, and Michael Martin (Lexi) of Atlanta, as well as two great grandchildren, Connor and Clara Martin, both of Greenville, SC.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either The Franciscan Breadline for the Poor: https://stfrancisbreadline.org/about-us/st-anthony/ 144 West 32nd St., New York, NY 10001 or Charleston Water Keeper: http://charlestonwaterkeeper.org/
Due to the pandemic, a private funeral service will be Livestreamed from Christ the King on Wednesday 11/11/20 at 10:00 AM. Interment will be at St. Lawrence cemetery in Charleston, SC.
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