Don Moore
Judge Don Moore died peacefully on November 28, 2017, at age 89.
He was a 1946 graduate of Chattanooga High School, attended Emory University, and obtained his law degree from the University of Tennessee. He graduated from the National Judicial College, University of Nevada at Reno in 1979. He served his country twice in the U.S. Army, first during World War II, as a military policeman with the European Theater, and then during the Korean War with the 822nd Tank Battalion. He was released from service as a staff sergeant in the Army Reserves in 1951.
Early in his career, he was a partner of Moore & Moore Contractors and a Chattanooga attorney. He was elected in 1956 and 1964 to the Tennessee House of Representatives and in 1966 to the Tennessee State Senate, and he served as Chairman of the Fiscal Review Committee in the 85th Tennessee General Assembly from 1967-1969. From 1974-1978 he was the county judge of Hamilton County, the chief administrator of Hamilton County. Subsequently, he served as the Hamilton County Court Judge, on the bench from 1978-1982. He followed up his political career as a local attorney.
He was named Legislative Conservationist of the Year in 1968. He used his influence to secure a second Hamilton County criminal court, to develop the relationship between Hamilton County and Erlanger Hospital, to secure participation in the State of TN TCRS retirement plan for Hamilton County employees, and to incorporate the University of Chattanooga into the UT state university system. He was a member of the Tennessee Bar Association, State Bar of Georgia, the American Legion, Chattanooga Scottish Rite of Freemasonry (32° KCCH), East Lake Lodge #698, Elks Club, Alhambra Shrine, and Chattanooga Flyers.
He loved to travel, fly small planes, golf, build personal computers and to attend UT Football games. He was a member of Brainerd United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his father, Don M. Moore, Sr.; mother, Frances Moore Rowe; brother, Kenneth A. Moore, Sr.; and sister-in-law, Jean R. Moore.
Left behind to cherish Don’s memory are his daughters, Lisa M. “Mikki” Schnur (Rick); Deidre M. “Dee Dee” Keylon (Mark); loving companion, Sara M. Moore; nephew, Ken Moore (Kathy); niece, Debbie Steele, her children, Jarod Ownbey and Kaitlyn Steele; niece, Diane Austin, and her daughter, Ashley Kershaw.
A Celebration of Don’s Life will be held graveside at Beautiful Greenwood Cemetery on Monday Dec. 4, at 1:30 p.m.
The family will receive friends from 3-7 p.m. on Sunday, December 3, 2017 and again on Monday, December 4, 2017 beginning at noon.
Special thanks to the staff at Morning Pointe of Collegedale, who cared for him so compassionately. Donations in his memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association.
Arrangements are under the care of Chattanooga Funeral Home Crematory and Florist East Chapel, 404 South Moore Road, East Ridge, Tn. 37412.
Please share your thoughts and memories at www.ChattanoogaEastChapel.com