Robert Lewis Moore, Jr. passed away peacefully on March 4, 2021, surrounded by his loving family. Bob was born in Rome, Georgia on January 16, 1938, the oldest son of Robert Lewis Moore Sr. and Cora Elizabeth Duggan Moore. He grew up in Rome and attended Rome High, where his motorcycle parking place was reserved by an oil spot. He was a member of the “Hard as nails, tough as bricks, Rome High class of 56”. He gave West Georgia College a try, where he met the love of his life, Peggy Holland Moore of Birmingham Alabama. They were married May 31, 1963. He served in the Army Reserve, then briefly worked in Doraville at the GM plant but soon returned to his beloved Rome to work as a dispatcher at the General Electric Medium Transformer plant and took over the daily operations of Bob’s Cycle Shop on Shorter Avenue upon the death of his father. He formed many lifelong friendships among his co-workers at General Electric. As for his work at the bike shop, there’s almost no adult who grew up in Rome who didn’t know Bob and recognize his truck driving around the city. He mentored dozens of young BMX racers on his various teams, always teaching them good sportsmanship and encouraging kids of all abilities, and travelled around the country for National BMX races for many years.
He loved God, his family, Coca Cola, Hershey’s kisses, history, playing trivia with Peggy and friends, Schwinn bikes, Indian Motorcycles, motorcycle racing, John Wayne movies and Norman Rockwell paintings. He had a relentlessly inquisitive mind, and was a voracious reader, particularly of history books. He could give a quote from almost every general from the Civil War through World War II and knew details of all the battles.
He was known to upset waitresses in many restaurants that served Pepsi by asking them why they only served “bellywash” and not Coca Cola. He recalled with gratitude that when his father died in 1971, a Rome Coca Cola bottling plant truck pulled up and quietly left a case of cokes in front of the house.
He loved the city of Rome and Romans loved him. He will forever be associated with cycling in Rome. The Robert Moore Memorial bicycle bridge in downtown Rome was dedicated to his father, Robert Moore Sr. in 1998. Bob was selected to serve as Grand Marshall of the Rome Christmas parade for 2009. His lifelong friend John Cummings nominated him, citing his positive influence on generations of children in Rome. In 2017 the Bob and Peggy Moore Walking trail at the GE Trails at Garrard Park was dedicated to Bob and his wife. Bob was exceptionally generous with his time and always had time for helping others and to promote cycling in Rome.
In 1999 he was cycling on St Simons Island and had a heart attack. In 2005 he received a heart transplant at Emory University hospital and was forever grateful to the family of his donor and also to Dr. Vega, the heart surgeon who performed the transplant. With this new chance at good health, he and his wife Peggy travelled to Ireland to visit their close friend Declan McCarthy, visited the small Irish town where “The Quiet Man” was filmed, walked the beaches of Normandy, viewed the glaciers of Alaska, cruised the Carribean and Hawaii, cycled on many different trails in the U.S. and enjoyed the precious time with their six grandchildren. Bob also enjoyed working at his son Rob’s coin shop in Cartersville and manning the “Bargain Bob” table at coin shows.
He is survived by his beloved wife Peggy, his son, Robert Lewis Moore III (Susan), his daughters, Leigh Moore DuPre (Bill) and Amy Moore Bursi (Pete) and six grandchildren, William, Robert, Andrew, Abigail, Cora and Ben. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Lewis Moore Sr. , his mother Cora Duggan Moore, his brother, James “Jimbo” Turner Moore and his sister Harriette “Ha Ha” Moore Wood.
The family will receive friends at Daniels funeral home on Monday, March 8, 2021 from 12:30 pm until 2:30 pm. A Graveside Service will be conducted at 3:00 pm on Monday, March 8. 2021 at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens. Bob’s family requests that In lieu of flowers, any donations be made to Trails for Recreation and Economic Development (TRED) at 20 Sherwood Rd. SW Rome, GA 30165, in celebration of Bob’s lifelong love of cycling.
Daniel’s Funeral Home 901 East Second Ave., Rome, GA is honored to serve the Moore family.
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