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William Moore
In Memory of
William Franklin
Moore Jr.
1927 -
2015

Obituary for William Franklin Moore Jr.

William Franklin  Moore Jr.
William Franklin Moore was born in 1927 in Itmann, West Virginia, son of William and Bernice Moore. He grew up on a farm in Roanoke, VA, but never, ever wanted to garden again! At 18, Frank joined the Navy and, after a tour in the South Pacific, moved to the west coast.
In 1949, he married Susie Shrader, a friend of his sister’s he met in West Virginia when they were teens. They bought a home in Seattle and, shortly thereafter, he was drafted into the army during the Korean War. In 1949, Frank joined the Seattle Police Dept., where he served for 29 years. He began working in the Wallingford district as a patrolman and was promoted through the ranks. He served as Chief of Security at the World’s Fair in 1962 and was acting Chief of Police in Seattle in 1969. As an example of his remarkable calm and diplomacy during the volatile late ‘60s, he “armed” the military police with daffodils as they faced the Vietnam War protesters. Always a gentleman, he was respected by all who knew him.
Frank’s enthusiasm for the outdoors was a large part of his personal time. He loved to hike and fish in the Olympics and Cascades, hunt in the Okanogan, river raft the Snake and Clearwater Rivers, and ski patrol at Snoqualmie Pass. He generously shared this love of nature with his family.
His children and grandchildren were privileged to enjoy many evenings in conversation with him, hearing of his adventures, his experiences, his love of family, and his contentment with his life. A favorite quote of his was, “Getting old ain’t for sissies”; he faced the challenges of aging with courage and a sense of humor. We remember his joking, “I’m going to figure out how to get out of this alive.” Some of us believed him! On November 13, 2015, Frank passed away peacefully at home on Whidbey Island.
Frank leaves behind the love of his life and wife of 66 years, Sue; his three children and their spouses, Cathi and Mike, Jeanne and Art, and Lance and Shellie; his five grandchildren Matthew, Kate, Elijah, Meagan and Golda; his five great- grandchildren Zoe, Olive, Landyn, Lacey and Layne; and his sister, Jean. Thank you, Frank, our Husband, Father, Grand- and Great-Grandfather, Brother, and Friend. Our lives will never be the same. You will be sorely missed.
Frank shared his love of literature with his family often and recently he quoted from Longfellow’s Psalm of Life:

“Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art to dust returneth, was not spoken of the soul…
Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.”

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make donations to Concerns of Police Survivors, at NationalCops.org. Family and friends are encouraged to share memories and condolences at www.whidbeymemorial.com.


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