Lamon Ray Moore

May 16, 1924 – January 14, 2011

Lamon Ray “Scoop” Moore passed away peacefully on Friday January 14, 2011. He was born on May 16, 1924, the 5th child of Jesse and Intha Moore, in Morganton, Arkansas. He is survived by his wife Faye Moore of Merced. Ray also leaves behind a son, Clinton Wesley Moore (Laura) of Merced and daughter, Debbie McCoon (Donald) of Arnold and stepchildren, Jackie Griffin (Cary) of Catheys Valley and John Stephan (Vickie) and Becky Doss of Merced; grandchildren, David Williams (Laura) and great grandson Riley of Valencia and granddaughter, Janine Williams of Washington DC. He is also survived by a sister, Jewell Morgan of Merced and a brother, Arnold Moore of Clear Lake, California and numerous step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren.

Born in the middle of the Great Depression, the Moore family relocated to Atwater in 1937. Ray was educated locally and graduated from Merced High School “Class of 1942”. He played Varsity Basketball for the Merced High Bears. Shortly after graduation (and Pearl Harbor) Ray enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corp and by fall of ’42 was in the Pacific theatre of World War II on Guadalcanal. He also served in New Zealand and was twice wounded by enemy fire during the campaign on the island of Bougainville. He received his Purple Heart from Admiral “Bull Halsey”.

After the War Ray returned to Merced and began a more than three decade career with Pacific Gas and Electric Company. He rose to the position of Foreman on a Line truck. He was a big man, but on the power pole was said to have the agility of a cat.

Ray was also active in City League sports. He played basketball and was a fixture at first base in softball for the First Baptist Church teams of the 50’s and 60’s. He was also a founding member of the First Baptist Church in Merced.

After his retirement in the early 80’s he traveled the United States, seeing many places of interest and regularly visiting with relatives and friends around the Country. Ray enjoyed sports and current events and during his later years spent a lot of time with the coffee drinkers of Merced at Carrows, Ryan’s and Paul’s place pontificating on the World’s problems (with ideas on how to solve some of them). His last decade was spent between Merced and his boy hood home in Arkansas.

Ray was a friend to many and loved and respected by many, a Man people could count on and he will be missed by many. GOD has called his name, and he has answered.

Services will be held on Friday, January 21, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Bible Baptist Church, 3840 North Santa Fe Drive, Merced, CA. He will be buried at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery at a later time.

Arrangements under the direction of Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, Merced, CA.