Jerry W. Moore

Jerry Wayne Moore of Clyde Park, Montana passed away early Sunday, December 3, 2023, at his home from cancer at the age of 79. 

He was born July 18, 1944, in Greenville, Kentucky to Elvin Forest Moore and Elloise (Terry) Moore and has one brother, Terry Moore also of Clyde Park.

Jerry met the love of his life at school in Lewisburg. They dated on Sundays at church, the only place he was allowed to take Shirley. They were married November 12, 1960, and had a total of 63 years of adventures together.

Jerry had many jobs over the years, including farming (his family were farmers and entrepreneurs), all types of construction–electrical, plumbing, framing, and woodwork. At one point, in his early 20s while being a father of two, he went to night school for reading and drawing blueprints. Jerry was only 24 when he became the manager of a refrigeration factory in Greenville, Kentucky. The bulk of his adult career in construction included heavy equipment operating, where he was also a foreman and job superintendent. Toward the end of his career, he worked in environmental cleanup, especially for the military.

In April of 1970, Jerry and Shirley and their two children began their biggest adventure of all: life in Alaska. For the better part of 30 years, they worked hard and played hard in Anchorage, Alaska. 

Jerry had many hobbies such as hunting, fishing, motorcycle riding, and snowmachine racing. His true lifelong passion was woodworking. He loved everything about it: the smell, feel, and look of wood.  Jerry could identify most types of wood simply by looking at them. He made beautiful furniture, lamps, and bowls. 

In 1999, Jerry flew down from Alaska to Montana to help finish the house his daughter and son-in-law were building. And then, he bought the property next door—the beginning of Jerry and Shirley’s next chapter. 

Jerry was a member of the Livingston Church of Christ where he worshiped and honored his Father in heaven. He had a wry sense of humor, often deadpan in his joke delivery, his dark, thick eyebrows over deep eyes adding emphasis to any story he told. 

Jerry is survived by his wife, Shirley Yvonne (Dunn), his daughter Vivian L. (Moore) and her husband, Doug Logan of Clyde Park; his son, Kenneth W. Moore and his wife, Christina Moore of New Plymouth, Idaho; and his brother, Terry L. Moore. Jerry has seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren, as well as many cousins and friends. 

He was predeceased in death by his parents Elvin and Elloise Moore and two of his grandsons, Ryan K. Moore and Kenneth (Kenny) Wayne Moore, Jr.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, December 30th at the Church of Christ, 917 W. Park St., Livingston, Montana, followed by a reception at the Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, 415 E. Lewis St., Livingston.

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