Thomas Michael Moore

On August 30th 2019, Thomas Michael Moore, long-time resident of Washington, D.C., passed away. He is survived by wife Katherine, daughters Catrina (Calvin) and Deirdre (Karl) Kerr and grandchildren Grant and Norah Kerr; he was preceded in death by wife Kathy (neé Mangan).

Tom was born on September 2nd 1939, in Lowell, Massachusetts, a city that had long been a haven for people from Ireland including his parents Michael and Rose, from counties Kerry and Leitrim respectively. He attended Keith Academy where he was an outstanding student and skilled athlete.

In 1962, Tom graduated from Merrimack College in North Andover, MA, with a BA in Economics. He was Class Vice President, and active in the Economics Club and the Political Science and Sociology and Tennis Clubs. As he had at Keith Academy, Tom forged many friendships, some that lasted his lifetime. A faithful alumni, Tom returned to North Andover for several class reunions and kept in touch in other ways. The University of Michigan was his next stop where he completed graduate level work in Economics, before moving to Washington D.C. to begin a career with the Federal Government that would last 38 years, including time at the Department of Health and Human Services and later the National Institutes of Health.

Beyond his work for the government, Tom was quintessentially a man of his time and his city. He was active in political and human rights movements, and canvassed for political candidates who shared his vision of a more just society. For years he enjoyed playing tennis on courts around the city, and later stayed fit by swimming at Wilson Pool, or the Aquatic Center because they had a water slide.

After retirement he took to volunteering many ways. He tutored young people in Washington D.C. who needed help with Math and was the volunteer director of a GED program. He helped fundraise for Habitat for Humanity, in contrast to the more physical building work he had done with the Poor People’s March of 1968. He was a greeter at the Library of Congress where he offered a warm smile and information without an “app”, which he enjoyed doing very much.

He loved baseball and many of his friendships involved the game. Starting with the Boston Braves, later the Red Sox, and, while DC was without a team, the Orioles, Tom was an avid fan of the game. When major league baseball returned to DC, Tom embraced the Nats, watching games at home and frequently at the stadium. With a group of friends who shared his love of the game he traveled to other cities to see other major league games, especially to cities where games were still played in historic ballparks. He also coached his daughter’s softball teams, gently imparting the basics and the finer points of the game he so enjoyed.

He loved travelling with Kit and the girls, the most frequent of trips were those home to Ireland, where he travelled all over the country but had the most craic in Mayobridge. On other occasions he took his family all over, to the beaches of North Carolina and to Chincoteague, to visit family in Massachusetts, on hikes in West Virginia, to family in Seattle, New York, San Diego, and friends in Denver. Later he and Kit travelled together, enjoying a little weekend trip to Shepherdstown WV or larger trips to Costa Rica, Italy, Spain, Amsterdam, and The Grand Canyon, and most recently watched the sunsets in Sarasota a few times a year with lifelong friends.

He was the best father anyone could ask for and welcomed any new additions to the family with open arms as Karl and Calvin can attest. He loved being Granda to Grant and Norah, and was in adoration of Granny in her new role. If anyone would like to make a donation in his name we have chosen Habitat for Humanity and Field of Dreams DC.