Charles M. Moore M.D.

Charles M. Moore, M.D. was born on May 28, 1929 in Charleston, Arkansas and passed away early Sunday morning, April 17, 2016 at the age of 86. He died at home in northwest Houston surrounded by his loving family. Although he had been struggling with the inevitable challenges of aging, he was in good spirits and comfortable.

His parents, who were school teachers, and brother Bobby moved to Union, Mississippi when he was one year old. He graduated from Union High School, where he was president of his class. He attended Ole Miss for two years, during which time he met the beautiful Gay Mathis of New Albany, Mississippi, on a blind date just prior to his 19th birthday. They married seven months later at the bride’s home in New Albany on December 19, 1948. The newlyweds moved to Jackson in 1950 and Moore then completed his undergraduate education at Mississippi College in Clinton, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1952. Charles and Gay moved to New Orleans and he earned his Doctor of Medicine from Tulane University in 1956. During the summers he worked at Jax Brewery on the assembly line. Charles and Gay loved New Orleans and developed lifelong friendships there. After medical school, Charles interned at Confederate Memorial Hospital in Shreveport. He then joined the Army and completed basic training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. He was immediately deployed to Korea where he served his country as captain and surgeon at the Port of Incheon for a 15-month tour of duty. During this tour, Gay met Charles in Tokyo during a furlough and they also visited Hong Kong. This experience sparked a lifelong appreciation for and interest in Asian art and culture. Upon Charles’s return from Korea, he completed his army service at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Charles and Gay moved to Philadelphia, Mississippi in August 1959, where he joined his brother Dr. Robert Lee Moore in private practice at the Moore Clinic. They treated patients together for 15 busy and happy years. Charles and Gay had four children, built their dream Asian-styled house, and helped found Pioneer Academy, a private school for elementary grades through high school. In 1974, Charles moved his family to Houston, Texas, where he joined the original staff of the new Houston Northwest Medical Center. He became board certified in Famiy Practice and served as Chairman of the Family Practice Department at Houston Northwest in 1988, 1989, and 1995. He maintained his private medical practice clinic on Peakwood Drive until 2013, when he retired at the age of 84. He and Gay have been members of Spring Baptist Church since 1974, where he was a deacon. Dr. Moore was an avid golfer, and, despite dealing with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis for over 25 years, played for many years at Willow Creek Golf Club. He enjoyed immensely being on the course every Thursday afternoon and Saturday with his wonderful friends. He was skilled in the Japanese art of bonsai and was a long-time member of the Houston Bonsai Society. He taught himself banjo and attended a weekly Spanish class for many years taught by fellow physician and friend Agustin Rivas.

Dr. Moore is survived by his devoted wife Gay of 67 years; daughters Carla and son-in-law Jeff Sizemore, Kiri Moore and Jennifer Moore, of Houston; son Charles McFerran Moore of Las Vegas, Nevada; granddaughter Kaitlin Richardson, her husband Jeff and great-grandson Kenny, of Midland, Texas; nephew Lee Moore, of Frankfort, Kentucky; niece Laura McDonald, her husband Mike and their daughter Maggie, of Jackson, Mississippi; and brother-in-law Jack Mathis and his wife Peggy, of New Albany, Mississippi.

Visitation will begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 21 with funeral following at 2 p.m., both at Spring Baptist Church, 1027 Spring Cypress Road, Spring, Texas. Private interment will follow at Earthman Resthaven Cemetery, 13102 North Freeway, in Houston. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Arthritis Foundation, Rheumatoid Arthritis Division, Salvation Army, or Spring Baptist Church

The family extends their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to all of Dr. Moore’s wonderful doctors, nurses, and caregivers over the last three months, including Dr. S.D. Khan, Dr. Walter Pollo, Dr. Carolyn Fife, Dr. Salah Ghobrial, Dr. Bharat Latthe, the nursing staff of Houston Northwest Medical Center, Shawn Stevens, Amy Thompson, and Megan Coley of Oasis Hospice, Trisha Daniel of Guardian, Kelly Ridley, Ivy Okonkwo, Tina Henderson, and Ida Sanders. The family also greatly appreciates the many kindnesses of friends and neighbors over many years.