Michael Durham Moss
Michael Durham Moss, 84, of Lookout Mountain, Ga., passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 15, 2022.
Michael (Mike) was the second of four children born to William Preston Moss, Sr. and Lutitia Saxon Myers Moss on November 27, 1937, in Jackson, Tn. Mike attended Jackson High School and The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tn. He joined the US Air Force, attended Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee and graduated in 1963 with a major in Economics from the University of Memphis Lambuth.
Mike was an avid Vanderbilt Commodores fan and cheered them on through their most recent victory last weekend. It was a wonderful, fitting and final celebration of the Dores for him. He loved college football and placing $1.00 bets on any and all games with his brother in law and sons in law.
Mike moved to New York City in 1963. He worked for CBS Studios on the Jackie Gleason and Ed Sullivan Shows and had so many fun stories to tell about those days. He later worked for Eastman Chemical and PPG Chemicals. He met his wife of 52 years, Virginia (Ginny) Hardisty Carnes of Atlanta, on Long Island. They married in December of 1969 in Atlanta. After many years in New York, they moved to Frankfurt, Germany in 1975 for Ginny’s job in advertising.
Mike and Ginny returned to the US to his hometown of Jackson, Tn. and in 1979 Mike began a career with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development in Chattanooga. From 1979 until he retired in 2004, he was dedicated to the existing industries of his southeastern Tennessee territory, retaining and growing jobs and investment for the state.
In retirement, Mike volunteered and spent nights with the homeless through a ministry of the Episcopal Church. Mike was a life-long Episcopalian, growing up at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Jackson, TN. He and Ginny were members of Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on Lookout Mountain for many years.
Mike loved life and he never met a stranger. He always had a favorite watering hole and a dedicated barstool. In New York in the 60s it was the Smile Bar on 78th and Lexington and in Chattanooga in the 80s, it was Charlie’s Pizza Pub on Broad Street. In Nashville for Vandy games, it was always Rotiers. He loved a cocktail, a good cigar, his jazz record collection, and a joke. Mike was a voracious reader and knew every WWI and WWII date and fact. He loved the history and romance of trains and he took pride in his model train collection.
Above all, Mike deeply loved his family and friends. He is predeceased by his brothers, William Preston Moss, Jr. and John Ramsay Moss of Jackson, TN and his brother-in-law Jack Carnes of Albany, GA. Mike is survived by his wife of almost 53 years, Virginia (Ginny) Carnes Moss; daughter Sara Moss Melvin (Marshall) of Atlanta, GA; daughter Lutitia (Tish) Moss Stewart (Carlton) of Lookout Mountain, TN; grandchildren John Marshall Melvin, III, Virginia Windham Melvin, Evelyn (Evie) Wiley Stewart, Radford (Rad) Carlton Stewart, V, and Wilson Huntington (Hunt) Stewart; sister Mary Lutitia (Mary Lu) Moss Pettigrew (Randy) of Jackson, TN.; sisters-in-law Marcia Moss and Carroll Moss Barnes of Jackson, TN and Kay Carnes of Albany, GA; brother-in-law Peter Carnes (Linden) of Charleston, SC and a number of nieces and nephews who affectionately called him “Uncle Spike” and “Uncle BW”.
The family is forever grateful to his many compassionate caregivers over the past year: Sue Rowe and the team at Thrive; Becky Hicks and the team at Tapestry Hospice; The Simmons Family (Tina, Nadine, Morgen, and Sharon); Terrance Smith; Candy Williams; Susan Cagle; and Jason Hill, all with Comprehensive Care of Chattanooga.
There is no scheduled service at this time. The family will continually celebrate his life beginning with Thanksgiving next week.
Visit the online obituary www.heritagechattanooga.com to post tributes and share memories.
Arrangements are by Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Chapel.