William Moore Obituary

Moore
William "Bill" Thornton
Moore
July 1, 1924
January 21, 2024

William Thornton Moore (Bill) was born in Nebo, Illinois on July 1, 1924 to Elma Marie Thornton and Roy Moore. His father was killed in 1929 while working in Chicago so he and his mother moved from Chicago to Nebo to live with his mother's parents, William Jefferson and Ida May Smith Thornton until 1938 when his mother married Pearson Ray Crosby. The family then moved to Springfield and Quincy, IL and St Louis and Kirksville, Mo where Bill graduated from HS in 1941. During his senior year at KHS he lettered in football, basketball and track.
After 2 years attending Kirksville State Teachers College he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943. He then flew a few missions over Japan as a radio operator on a B-29 (called Jokers Wild) from Saipan in the Marianas.
He was reassigned to Cornell University for some preparatory courses prior to entering the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY on July I. 1945. After graduation (ranked 62 out of 574) on June 6, 1949 he was commissioned as a 2d Lt in the regular army and assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers. He married Emma Jane Mims from Spartanburg, SC on June 9, 1949 in the West Point Protestant Cadet Chapel. Subsequently they had four children: Donna Schafer, Mark, Steven and William T. Moore, Jr. Jane was the consummate army wife: faithful, great mother, beautiful, understanding and intelligent. Bill was preceded in his death by his first wife Jane (she died March 9, 1999 after almost 50 years of marriage); his two oldest sons: Mark and Steven; and his daughter Donna who died Jan. 3, 2023. He had 6 grandchildren: Naomi (Schafer) Thomas, Caleb and Gabriel Schafer and Hank. Cameron and Casey (Moore) Barba and 6 great grandchildren (Corina Thomas Solano; Zachary, Emma and Jeffry. Thomas and Makayla and Adam Barba) and one great, great grand daughter Zara Rea Thomas Solano who was born in Galveston, TX on Nov 12 2022.
During his 30 years of military service he participated in World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnamese War. He served in various Army Corps of Engineer roles including Platoon Leader, Co C , 14th ECB in 1950 (Korean War); Battalion Commander 588th ECB in 1965 (Vietnam War);
Far East District Engineer in Seoul, Korea; Post Engineer at Ft Hood, TX as well as other assignments in Germany, Iran and several military posts in the US. Earned a master degree in civil engineering from Cal Tech in 1955. Graduated from the Army War College in 1967. Retired as a Colonel at Ft Hood September 1973. Worked for the Brazas River Authority in Waco, Texas as the Reservoir Division Manager for two years. On Oct 31, 1978 the NY State Educational Department registered him as a professional engineer.
Learned to construct stained glass and he and his wife Jane operated a store where they sold supplies, taught classes and made windows and other objects at Inks Lake, TX.
During his military service he was awarded various meritorious achievement awards including 3 Legions of Merit, a Bronze Star, and an Army Commendation medal. He retired from active duty in 1973 at Ft Hood, TX as a Colonel and eventually moved to Colorado Springs (in his opinion the best place in the world) in 1983 where he lived out the rest of his life. He was very proud of the local Argonauts Men Club which he had started in 1983. He enjoyed playing duplicate bridge and reading all his life and fish-ing, hunting, golf and skiing in his younger years. Two of his favorite hymns were The Battle Hymn of the Republic and Open My Eyes So I Can See. His favorite poem was The Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He enjoyed Philippians 8:4, a copy was posted on the wall in front of his easy chair. One of his favorite songs was Stardust.
On July 11, 2000 he married his second wife, Anna Mae Fischer from Colorado Springs, CO. She was his favorite and best bridge partner and a wonderful person. They played in many bridge tournament through out the US and won many master points enabling him to become an ACBL Ruby Life. Master with over 1500 master points. She had many children from previous marriages and he enjoyed all of them. They spent many winters in their condo in Palm Desert, CA prior to moving into the MacKenzie Place retirement home in. CS in August 2014.
He belonged to the FUMC in CS for many years but in Dec 2023 transferred his membership to Mike Maldonado's Peoples Church which is de-voted to helping the homeless.
A Celebration of Life service will be held in the Shrine of Remembrance on Thursday February 15 10:00 a.m. Followed by a luncheon in the Mackenzie Place ballroom at 12:00 p.m. This will be followed by an internment of Bill's re-mains with his first wife's in Niche 25 in the Evergreen Cemetery columbarium at 2:00 p.m.
Instead of flowers please send a donation to the Colorado Springs Peoples Church. Bill was always proud of them for their work with the homeless.

He had two favorite sayings: First, "My God and country have always been better to me than I deserved." Second, "Things just get better and better."
RIP
There is no light without a dawning No winter without a spring And beyond the bright horizon Our hearts will once more sing... For those who leave us for awhile Have only gone away Out of a restless, care worn world Into a brighter day. Helen Steiner Rice