Wesley John Moore

Beginning 88 years ago.

It’s about a special man

Whose name, of course, we know.

On the nineteenth of November

In nineteen hundred, twenty-four,

A second son was born

To Mae Smith and James Moore.

They named him Wesley John;

He was George’s baby brother.

(Norman arrived after Wes…

Yup, they had another!)

Wes grew up in Silver Creek

Where he learned the ways of a farm;

He walked three miles to get to school

And wore no shoes when it was warm.

In school, Wes liked P.E. and math,

But in grade seven he had the last word,

When he was wrongfully expelled

By that, ahem, “old English bastard.”

Life on a farm taught him great skills

Even then he was a fine garden grower;

Cooking, baking, canning – all self-taught

And he cut hay with a horse drawn mower.

Baseball was a favorite sport

That, as a boy, Wes liked to play,

But just to get to the game that he loved,

He walked twelve miles each way!

Imagine the trouble that could arise

When Wes was a co-conspiring brother;

With three of them thinking together,

There was often one scheme or another.

Remember that day at Silver Creek?

I’m sure those boys were a sight

When, to ensure a big catch of fish,

For bait they used dynamite!

What do you get when a pack of Moores

Have a hay lift, a goat and some hay?

Well, it only took them a moment

To think of a fun game to play…

Pick up the goat with the hay lift,

Drop him gently on the hay and then

After he bounces his way to safety,

Pick the goat up and do it again!

Wes liked to ride bulls in rodeos

In his younger days,

But when a horn caught him in the face,

He chose, in the audience, to stay.

Wes started working at sixteen

And stayed primarily in logging

Using saws and horses in mills and camps

Kept his very sharp mind from fogging.

Between cat, dozer, skidder and loader

Wes had shifted through countless gears;

He gained a lifetime of experience

In a career that spanned forty-five years.

Wes married Gertrude Smith

And together they raised three sons:

Ronnie came first, Larry followed

And Paddy was their youngest one.

The years flew by, the boys grew up

And started families of their own.

Wes divorced his wife, but

Wasn’t destined to be alone.

He married beautiful Joyce Kunkel

October 11th of sixty-nine.

Six year old Angie came with the deal;

A wife and a daughter, so fine!

They lived in Canoe until the time

Wes built them a house in 70 Mile.

They had too many animals to name

And lived happily there for a while.

A very special day in his life –

February 14th of 71.

With the love and support of family,

His drinking days were over and done.

Wes moved his family to 100 Mile House

Where they lived for a number of years

With their dogs, cats and even a bird;

They experienced life’s laughter and tears.

Their home was filled with children too

Since Joyce did run a daycare,

But Wes adored those little kids

And all the time they played there.

When Joyce was diagnosed with M.S.,

Wes was, for a while, filled with fear.

But their love for each other saw them through

And, in fact, had grown more dear.

In ’89 Angie was off to Kamloops

To get herself some schooling,

While Wes and Joyce moved to Vernon

And got some air conditioned cooling.

Wherever Wes lived over the years,

A large, beautiful garden he grew

Full of vegetables, fruit and flowers

And every one of their names he knew.

Wes cut lawns for his neighbors

And collected bottles and cans;

No wonder his family called him

An environmentalist man!

Wes hunted with son Ronnie

And with grandson, Kyle too;

Kyle’s boys Brandan and Trevor

Joined in and filled the crew

Fishing was an activity

Wes shared with grandson, Craig;

The fish they caught were just so big,

But they wouldn’t want to brag.

One day Jay and Tyler wanted Grandpa

To join them playing hockey in the street;

“I promise to play my weakest,”

Tyler coaxed – that was so sweet.

Wes whistled when he was angry

And he whistled when he was jolly

And he laughed at the antics

Of his crazy cat, Molly!

If, from the livingroom,

We heard some laughing fits, he

Was likely playing silly games

With his puppy dog named Mitsy.

Though Wes was always known

To be a quiet and gentle man,

Angie’s friends called him “Sasquatch”

Believe that if you can.

Wes had forever been a tease

Known in the north and in the south

And no one could ever be sure

Of what would come out of his mouth!

There was that time at the 108

In an atmosphere quite fussy

When, during dessert, Wes offered

To eat Joyce’s… um… chocolate cat!

Some inside jokes went on for years

Like the “big cucumber” for Angie’s friend;

All it would take was a single word

And the giggles would begin.

Wes was the first to start a water fight

And he was always telling jokes.

He told many stories and old time tales

About himself and other blokes.

Some of them were rather raunchy

As all who knew him can easily guess;

Many times Angie was heard calling “Dad!”

While Joyce was bellowing “Wes!”

There’s the fish he preffered to something else,

The fish had onions, you see;

Not to mention all the “bang bang”

Wes liked to watch on his tv.

Visits to the Moore household

Meant tremendous fits of laughter,

With uncontrollable tears and snorts

And aching stomachs after.

Wes fought a battle with cancer

And beat it back stage by stage.

How we wondered at his secrets

For he never looked his age!

Wes thought himself a “young stud”

Right to the end of his eighty-eight years;

He lived forty-two of them sober

And for each of them he received cheers.

When walking became too difficult,

Wes just hopped on his “red Cadillac;”

That scooter would go ‘round the neighborhood

With Wes never once looking back.

There is something about the Moore men

That shows that extra bit of flair…

Their dashing good looks and winning smiles

And those lusciously thick heads of hair!

Wes was oh so proud of his family

It will forever be his claim to fame.

Now all of his direct descendants

Will be mentioned here by name.

Son Ronnie and Yvonne had five:

Terri-Lynne, baby Ronnie then Kyle,

Toni came next then last arrived Kelly

Oh, this may take a while.

Terri-Lynne married Steve

And three lovely children have they:

Alexis, Jordan and youngest Tye-Lynn;

Growing up more and more every day.

Alexis is now a lovely young woman,

Boyfriend, Lonnie, proposed with a ring.

They have a young son named Seth

And a baby daughter is due in the spring.

Sadly, baby Ronnie drowned

When he was just a little boy;

Now he dwells in the heaven,

A special angel filled with joy.

Kyle settled down and married Krissy;

Together they’re raising two handsome boys:

Brandan and Trevor are busy as ever

And bring to their family great joy.

Toni is training to do her dream job

Offering care and support to others,

But her greatest vocation in life

Is being Brooklyn and Brayden’s mother.

Kelly works in construction and film

Though he’d prefer a job more 9 to 5;

For his sweet little daughter Makaela

Is daddy’s favorite person alive.

Ronnie and Yvonne decided

To each go a separate way,

But they’re not alone, Ronnie’s with Barb

And Yvonne is with Vern today.

Second son Larry married Marline

And raised up a boy and a girl;

Handsome Craig and beautiful Michelle

Are the centers of their world.

Craig now lives in Vernon

With Jackie, his beautiful wife.

Their fur-children Cargo and Timber

Add love and companionship to life.

Michele and her husband Mike

Live and work in Armstrong.

They have a daughter named Montana

Who, I’m sure, can do no wrong.

Third son Paddy and wife Sandi

Raised two very handsome sons;

They named their first born Jay

And Tyler is their youngest one.

Jay lives with girlfriend Samantha

At their place in Kelowna, BC;

They both work as accountants

So they can track every dollar they see.

Tyler married Anjie on a

Beautiful September day;

They live happily in Burnaby

Where they work and rest and play.

Angie is grown and teaching

In Vanderhoof up in the north;

She faces her challenges so bravely –

Head held high and marching straight forth.

Angie may not have been blessed

With any children of her own,

But how she’s touched the hearts

Of the many students that she’s known.

It’s said the measure of a man

Can be found in his family and friends;

Wes has been both blessed and a blessing

To a list of people without end.

No room ever built could ever contain

All the people whose lives he had touched;

We’ve gathered to celebrate Wes today

Just because we’ve loved him so much.

* * * * * * * * * *

Wesley John Moore

November 19, 1924 - March 19, 2013

With sad hearts the family of Wesley John Moore announce his passing on Tuesday, March 19, 2013.

Wes was born in Armstrong on November 19, 1924 - the second of three boys born to Mae Smith and James Moore. His growing up years were spent in Silver Creek where he learned farming, gardening, cooking, baking, canning and yet still found time to get into some mischief with his brothers!

Wes worked over 40 years in logging. He had three sons during his first marriage. In 1969 he married Joyce and became Dad to six year old Angie. He moved his family from Canoe to 70 Mile House and then to 100 Mile House. In 1989 he and Joyce Retired to Vernon.

Wes enjoyed gardening and sharing the fruits of his labour. He was kept busy doing odd jobs for his neighbours and collecting cans and bottles. He was a dedicated volunteer for the local M.S. Society and a life-long lover of animals, especially his Mitzi and Molly.

In recent years illness slowed him down considerably, but he could often be seen cruising the neighbourhood on his scooter - the “red Cadillac”.

Wes passed away peacefully at home with his wife Joyce by his side. He was predeceased by his parents, his brothers Norman and George as well as his first wife Gertrude. He is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Joyce; his four children: Ronnie (Barb), Larry (Marline), Paddy (Sandi) and Angie; one very special daughter-in-law Yvonne (Vern); eight grandchildren: Terri-Lynne (Steve), Kyle (Krissy), Toni, Kelly, Craig (Jackie), Michele (Mike), Jay (Samantha) and Tyler (Anjie); nine great-grandchildren: Alexis (Lonnie), Jordan and Tye-Lynn, Brandon and Trevor, Brooklyn and Brayden, Makaela and Montana; one great-great grandson Seth plus a great-great granddaughter on the way. Wes also leaves behind several brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, many nieces and nephews plus many more great nieces and nephews. Of course we cannot forget the countless friends he has made over his 88 years.

Services to be held on Wednesday, March 27th at 1:30 pm at the Pleasant Valley Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Cancer Society or any charity of your choice. Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family at www.pleasantvalleyfh.com.

Rest in peace, we will always love and miss you.