By Staff
Senior Living
(This week The Atmore Advance spotlights Charles Moore, Jr. He turned 85 this year.)
Q: When and where were you born?
A: I was born on Feb. 17, 1921 in Poarch.
I was born in the second house on the left past Judson Baptist Church. It was built by my grandfather.
It was entered into historical records by my brother.
It was sold to Poarch to make a museum.
The original house that my grandfather built when he moved here was about 100 yards behind this one.
He was a doctor and had an office in the house. One day he waited on some people and discovered they had yellow fever.
He burned the house down with everything in it and built a new one.
Q: Who were your parents?
A: My father was Charles Bates Moore Sr. and my mother was Lucille Zimmerman Moore.
My father was born in Claiborne. He had a large family
My mother was from Burnsville. That's about eight miles out of Selma and she moved here to be a teacher.
Q: Did you have any brothers or sisters?
A: I have one brother, John L. Moore, and one sister, Lucy Margaret Moore Peavy.
I think my brother was named after my grandfather.
Q: Where did you attend high school and college?
A: I went the first six years at the old school that was behind Judson Baptist Church and my sixth year was the last year it operated.
From eighth grade to 12th grade I went to the school in McCullough.
I graduated from there in 1938.
Q: How did you travel when you were younger?
A: My daddy had a Ford Model T. People also traveled by horse and buggy.
The old Moore house was considered an "open house."
I remember a man that would travel through here from Claiborne on his horse and buggy. He would stop at the old Moore house and stay the night there.
The next day he would go to town and get everything he needed and stop by the old Moore house that afternoon and stay another night.
The next day he would get up and go home.
Back then people did that. Travelers would have a place to sleep, supper and breakfast.
Nothing was expected in return for this either. You don't see that anymore.
Q: What jobs did you hold?
A: When I graduated high school I drove a school bus for a while.
Then I got into the trucking business and hauled produce, mostly potatoes and corn, out of Foley and Robertsdale to Atlanta.
Then I got a job hauling dirt and gravel to the airport in Mobile.
Then I started hauling dirt and gravel in Mendin, La. to a shell loading factory.
After that I went to New Boston, Texas, where they were opening another big plant and I hauled dirt and gravel for them.
When that job was over I came home and went to work at Brookley Air Force Base as a material expediter and workload scheduler for 10 years.
I transferred to San Bernidina, Calif., as the head scheduler of the jet engine shop. That base closed in 1966.
In February of 1966 I started at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City, Okla., as the deputy chief of production control.
I also ran the aircraft overhaul shop and the jet engine overhaul facility.
It was the largest jet engine overhaul facility in the free world. I retired from there on Jan. 7, 1977.
Six months later I went to work for Hayes International in Birmingham as a contract representative for Tinker Air Force Base.
Hayes was overhauling 135 aircrafts but Tinker Air Force Base managed the aircrafts so I was sort of the liaison between Hayes International and Tinker Air Force Base.
Pemco Air Plex bought Hayes International and I retired from there on March 31, 2001.
Q: Did you ever marry?
A: Two times.
My first wife was Lorane Hayles. She was born in Milton, Fla.
Her grandmother was from here and when she died Lorane and her family moved into her house. We met when she started going to school with me.
We were married for 14 years.
My second wife was Lucille Jordan. We met at Brookley Air Force Base. We both worked there.
After my first wife and I divorced, I was transferred to California. After I got out there I asked Lucille to move out there and she did. Eight months later we were married.
We were married for 51 years.
Q: Do you have any children or grandchildren?
A: My first wife and I have three children, one boy and two girls.
I also have twelve grand-children, twenty-one great grand-children, and one great, great grand-child.
Q: Where do you attend church?
A: I attend Judson Baptist Church here in Poarch.
That's were I went when I was growing up and as soon as I moved back in June of 2001 I started going back.
Q. What keeps you busy these days?
A: Cars. I have always been a car nut. I do a little restoring and a little selling. I always have cars for sale in my yard.
I have enough stuff to do around the house, but I believe you need to stay busy and not sit around.
Q. Have you traveled much?
A: I have been all over the United States and even a little in Canada and Mexico. I have been to almost every state expect Hawaii.
I have no desire to go overseas.
Q. What's your favorite television show?
A: I watch CNN a lot.
I also like to watch "Boston Legal." William Shatner acts like he's crazy. They're all really good actors.
Q: What advice do you give to people on staying healthy?
A: Don't smoke. Don't drink. Put your trust in the Lord. Stay moving. Always keep a positive attitude.
(If you would like to recommend a senior to be spotlighted please contact Janet Little Cooper at 368-2123 or e-mail her at lifestyles@atmoreadvance.com)