Thomas Moore Jr

Thomas Paul Moore, Jr., slipped peacefully from this world on Easter Sunday, April 16, 2017. Since his mother always thought he was the one perfect person other than Jesus, it seems fitting that he would join her on Resurrection Day.

Tom, Jr., was born on May 16, 1918 in Waco, Texas, the first child of Thomas Paul Moore, Sr., and Clarabelle Knight Moore. He spent his whole life as a Waco resident, one of the many descendants of Dr. Thomas Moore, a Kentucky physician who came to Texas in 1853 and settled in Waco in 1870. Tom was the last of the Moore family to reside in Waco. He will join a host of kin in Oakwood Cemetery.

Moore earned his law degree from Baylor University in 1943 and immediately went into the United States Army to attend military government school at Princeton, N.J. While there, he met Natalie Barlow. Their romance culminated in her following him by train to Fort Ord, Monterey, California. They married on June 16, 1944, just before he shipped out to occupy Japan.

Upon his return from Japan, he was appointed an Assistant District Attorney under Gene Madden. He was a natural trial attorney, with legendary oratorical skills. When Madden decided to retire, Moore ran for District Attorney, in which office he served from January 1952 to January 1960. During that time he had several notable cases, including the first televised trial in Texas history, the murder trial of Harry Washburn conducted in December 1955.

Moore was in private practice in Waco from 1960 until 2014. He conducted a small-town general civil and criminal defense practice. By 2009 he had earned what he considered the highest honor of his legal career: he was the only lawyer in McLennan County allowed to appear in court without a tie.

Moore was a firebrand liberal who loved politics both as a participant and out-spoken critic. The Great Depression had a huge impact on him. It took him six years to work his way through Baylor, holding numerous jobs, including as a window washer at the ALICO building. He became a staunch Roosevelt Democrat. In 1952 he began a friendship with Ralph Yarborough that lasted until Yarborough’s death. Moore was a fervent proponent of civil rights, supporter of organized labor, and believer in the importance of open government and equal access to power of all citizens.

In 1967, Moore won a seat in the Texas Legislature in a special election held upon the resignation of George Cowden. He served through three sessions. He was one of the “Dirty Thirty,” a bipartisan group of House members who called for an investigation into what became known as the Sharpstown Scandal. Ultimately, the Speaker of the House was convicted of bribery, and the 1973 Session passed a number of significant reform measures as a result. Moore is also known for a Resolution he passed on April Fool’s Day in 1971, honoring Albert DeSalvo for his innovative work in population control. DeSalvo, of course, was the Boston Strangler, and Moore’s tongue-in-cheek chiding of the House for passing things they hadn’t read earned Laugh-In’s Fickle Finger of Fate Award. His extemporaneous speeches caused one of his colleagues to note that, if the Legislature appointed an Orator Laureate of Texas, the honor would certainly go to Moore.

In 1982, Natalie died. But fortune, as usual, smiled on Tom, because he met Robbie Farek. Robbie had come to him to get a divorce, and their relationship led to marriage in June 1984. Robbie also blessed him with an additional son, Grant Farek. There is no doubt that this brought another 30+ years of love, joy, and life to this remarkable man.

Moore had an ever-delightful sense of humor, a ferocious intellect, uncompromising principles, and a heart bigger than his beloved Texas. He never turned down a client who needed help, whether they paid or not, and many didn’t. He adored his family and was never happier than when all were together, enjoying his cooking and jumping in his pool. He loved his friends, including the band of gin players that played cards every day in his law office for decades. He taught many a young boy how to hunt and fish, got a huge kick out of attending his grandsons’ sports events, and lived to see his daughter elected Travis County District Attorney last November. He was an active Episcopalian for many years, serving as a vestryman at both St. Alban’s and Holy Spirit. He was a Meals-on-Wheels volunteer for over 20 years, a great favorite of his recipients, many of whom were younger than he. He was an intrepid traveler, with a particular fondness for Mexico. He relished any kind of ball game, barge outings on Lake Waco, crossword puzzles, opera performances, and fine dining.

Moore had a God-given gift for enjoying life. He never complained and was the first to note how blessed he was. At his ninety-eighth birthday celebration, he was asked if he had any wisdom to impart. Even though he had lost most of his sight and hearing, and struggled with neuropathy, he replied: “It just gets better and better.” What a man.

Moore was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Clara Petersen and her husband Sidney (Pete); his brother, Charles Moore and his wife Polly; and his brother-in-law, Mather Waltrip.

Moore is survived by his wife of almost 33 years, Robbie, and his children: Margaret Moore and husband Robert Oliver; Elizabeth Harris and husband John; Thomas Paul Moore, III (Tim), and wife Ann; and Grant Farek and wife Keri. He is also survived by his seven grandchildren: Hillary Hunter and husband Dan; Luke Moore Harris; Annie Meisel and husband Michael; Mark Moore Oliver and wife Katie; Thomas Eugene Oliver (Tom) and wife Jaime; Thomas Paul Moore, IV, and wife Carolyn; Jaclyn Abbott Moore (Abby); and Alize Gross and Gavyn Farek. He was also blessed with great-grandchildren: Jackson and Harrison Hunter; Sarah Nancy and Sadie Rose Meisel; and Mabel Celia Moore. Moore is also survived by his sister, Mary Francis (Bebe) Waltrip, and his nephews and nieces: Sidney Petersen; Jon Petersen and wife Ginger; Catherine McElyea and husband Bill; John Moore and wife Susie; Michael Waltrip and wife Ellen; and Michael Waltrip, and all of their children.

The family will receive visitors on Friday, April 21, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home, 8220 Woodway Drive, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. There will be a graveside ceremony on Saturday, April 22, at 11:00 a.m. in Oakwood Cemetery, 2124 S. 5th St., followed by a reception at St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, 305 N. 30th St. In the event of inclement weather, the service will be held at St. Alban’s. For information, call Grace Gardens, 254-741-0404.

If you wish to honor his memory, consider a gift to St. Alban’s Episcopal Church; Meals-on-Wheels, 501 W. Waco Drive, Waco, TX 76707; or to Providence Hospice, 6700 Sanger Ave., Waco, TX 76710. And l

Visitation

Graveside Service