Gene Moore
Age - 93
November 17, 2023
The Reverend Eugene H. Moore, Pastor Emeritus of Bender Evangelical Lutheran Church, Biglerville, PA, died November 11, 2023 at Chambersburg Hospital. His wife, Norma Jean (nee Hasselberg) of Irwin, PA, to whom he had been married for 67 years, predeceased him, dying August 15, 2021. He was the son of Ralph Woods Moore and Vernie Mae (nee Boltz) Moore, natives of Cowansville, PA and the grandson of the late Rev. John F. Moore of Kittanning, PA, missionary for the American Sunday School Union. Pastor Moore is survived by four children; Christopher Moore and wife, Connie of Gettysburg, Philip Moore and wife, Gem of Biglerville, Patricia Beamer and husband, Robert of Biglerville, and Kathleen Sanders and husband, Kevin of Aspers. He has eight grandchildren, Jessica Spotswood and her husband, Stephen of Washington, D. C. , Amber Emanuel of Gainesville, FL, Shannon Moore of Westminster, MD, Amy Bair and husband, Jason of Irishtown, Daniel Moore, Sr. and wife, Amanda of Hanover, Ted Beamer of Gretna, LA, Zach Beamer of Biglerville and Jeremy Sanders of Boise, ID. He has eight great-grandchildren; Jared, Carrie, Caeley and Jackson Bair of Irishtown, and Nevaeh, Nicole, Natalie and Danny, Jr. Moore of Hanover. Pastor Moore was born on January 6, 1930 in Petrolia, PA. He lived in Armstrong and Clarion Counties as a child and teenager graduating from Kittanning High School in 1948. After High School, he operated and worked as a job printer in a home printing business named Houdini's Print Shop. As a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians he entertained professionally as "Moore, the Master Magician" which he continued during his college days and following graduation from college. In September of 1949, he entered Indiana State Teachers College (now The Indiana University of Pennsylvania). He graduated in 1953 with a Bachelor of Science in Education with a double major in Chemistry and Biology and a minor in Physics. While attending college, Moore was active in theatrical and chorus productions. He served as photographer for the student newspaper and was a member of the varsity wrestling team. He was elected to the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity where he served as Vice-President, House Manager, Social Chairman and Pledge Master. While attending college, he also worked as a job press printer for Henry Hall Corporation of Indiana, PA. Moore was active in the Boy Scouts of America and an honorary Scout Organization, The Order of the Arrow. He earned Scouting's highest rank by becoming an Eagle Scout. He was also awarded the Silver Chief Award for his work in the Order of the Arrow locally and as Secretary for the north eastern section of Pennsylvania coordinating activities for the nine lodges of the Order in that area. He worked summers as a member of the staff for Camp Bucoco, serving Butler and Armstrong Counties. He also served two years as Woodcraft Director for the National Training School for Junior Scout leaders in Mendham, NJ. Upon graduation from college in 1953, Moore enrolled in the National Training School for Professional Boy Scout Leaders, held at Schiff Scout Reservation in Mendham, NJ. He was commissioned as a District Scout Executive serving the Jeannette/Irwin area of the Westmoreland Fayette Council located in Greensburg, PA. He was then transferred to the Colonel Drake Council in Oil City where he served as District Executive of the Scouting program in Clarion County. He was promoted to Erie, PA where he served as Assistant Scout Executive supervising the work of five District Executives serving the program in Erie and Crawford Counties. Moore left Scouting and became a Professional Representative for Merck, Sharpe and Dohme Pharmaceuticals, a division of Merck Company. He supervised a territory in central Pennsylvania including territory from State College west to Brookville and north to the New York State line at Bradford, PA. In 1972, Pastor Moore enrolled as a student at The Lutheran Theological Seminary, Gettysburg where he became one of two students who entered the "second career" program for individuals who had graduated a number of years earlier and worked in secular work for a period of time. Moore was one of two such persons in his class and had worked 20 years since graduating from College. In his third year under the direction of Pastor Ziegler of Arendtsville, Moore served as an Intern of Bender Evangelical Lutheran church, Biglerville. In 1975, he graduated from Lutheran Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity Degree. At the age of 45, he was ordained in 1975 and began his ministry as pastor of Bender Evangelical Lutheran Church of Biglerville where he served for 13 years. During this time, he served as Dean of the Gettysburg conference several times. He served as a member of the Synod committee of Professional Preparation which supervised the examination of persons wishing to enter the clerical training in seminaries. He also served as the Chairperson of the Senate Committee of Deans. After leaving Bender Evangelical, Pastor Moore accepted a call to serve churches in Perry County. He served two Lutheran churches, Christ Evangelical in New Bloomfield and the Mannsville Lutheran Church in Mannsville. During the time that he served those two churches, he also served as Dean of the Perry Conference. While serving as Dean, he also served as interim for St. John and Barrons, two churches located near Liverpool. He accepted a call to be Synod Administrator for Trinity Lutheran located in Mount Holly Springs. He served in that position until 1995 when he retired. After retiring, he continued to serve a number of churches as interim pastor and supply pastor. In these positions, he conducted services and preached in every Lutheran church in Adams County. He also served as interim pastor of churches in Franklin and Cumberland Counties. Professional services have been entrusted to Dugan Funeral Home, Inc. , 111 S. Main Street, Bendersville. A Memorial Service of Holy Communion will be held on November 22, 2023 at 10AM at Bender Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1385 Rentzel Road, Biglerville, PA 17307. Remembering Genesis 3:19, "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return", Pastor Moore will be cremated. Interment of his ashes will take place at Camp Maple Tree in Elk County, PA, at the convenience of the family. It was Pastor Moore's wishes that memorial contributions be made to Bender Evangelical Lutheran Church, Biglerville, PA.Show more
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