Lester Eaton Moody

Mr. Moody, of Fort Lauderdale, was 82. He had owned nine dealerships, including Pontiac, Cadillac, Buick, Honda and Acura, during his long career.

Born in Memphis, Mr. Moody was 17 and just out of high school when he first began selling cars for his uncle at a Tennessee Plymouth dealership.

Mr. Moody soon left his uncle's business to work as a general manager for a Pontiac dealership. Eventually, his boss told him about the growing population in Fort Lauderdale, and offered to become his business partner. So in 1955, Mr. Moody moved with his wife and two small children and opened Moody Pontiac on North Federal Highway.

His business expanded as he opened successful new dealerships throughout Florida, and in Kentucky and New York.

The Moody Honda dealership he opened in 1972 was ranked 36th in sales out of about 1,100 Honda dealerships nationwide in 1994. That franchise was sold in 1995 and renamed Ed Morse Honda. It was the last franchise in the family business before Mr. Moody decided to retire.

Mr. Moody was active in the community, serving as a past Commodore of the Lauderdale Yacht Club, board member of Miami Heart Institute and Landmark Bank, one of the first major banks in downtown Fort Lauderdale. He was a past Chairman of the Broward Industrial Board, past President of the Executive Association of Fort Lauderdale, was the youngest member ever of the General Motors Presidents Dealer Advisory Council, and served on the Board of Trustees for Nova University and Broward Community College

Mr. Moody is survived by his wife, Ginger, his son Lester and nine other children and stepchildren: Ellie Knaak, of West Palm Beach; Stewart Moody, of St. Petersburg; Michael Moody, of West Palm Beach; Carr Moody, of Fort Lauderdale; Caroline Schellhas, of Washington, D.C.; Dana Holding, of Fort Lauderdale; Tracy Dunn, of Fort Lauderdale; Robert Ziegler, of Fort Lauderdale; Alyson Parker, of Alexandria, VA; 21 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Fred Hunter's Funeral Home, 718 S. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 901 NE Second St. in Fort Lauderdale. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Hospice Care of Southeast Florida, 309 SE 18th St., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316, or the Humane Society of Broward County, 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312.

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