Henry Moore, 96, WWII vet crafted bird houses
February 13, 2020
Henry Porter Moore Jr. of Pawleys Island died Feb. 8 at his home with his family at his side. He was 96.
He was born July 12, 1923, in Bishopville, son of Anna Lee Shaw and the late Henry Porter Moore. Known as Mocus, he graduated from Carlisle Military School in Bamberg in 1942. (His son would later attend the school.) He began college at Wofford but was drafted in September 1943 and served in the Army Air Force as a flight engineer on a B-24 during World War II.
After discharge as a staff sergeant in 1946, Mr. Moore completed his degree in business administration at the University of South Carolina. He began his career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the Soil Conservation Service in Bishopville, eventually moving to Pawleys Island and working in Georgetown until retiring in 1982.
Although he loved working for the soil conservation service, one of his greatest joys was to work long hours in his workshop making lamps, bird houses and bird feeders. It is hard to go to the Hammock Shops and not see his bird feeders displayed on the rail of the Original Hammock Shop.
Mr. Moore’s other great love was traveling, spending time in well over 30 countries, including hiking into the mountains of Uganda at 80, zip lining in Costa Rica at 90 and dancing away until the wee morning hours on a Caribbean cruise at 92.
He remained involved with the Carlisle (and Camden) Military School Alumni Association and was also heavily involved in the Boy Scouts, serving as a troop leader for many young men who are still residents of Georgetown County. He was a member of the Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church since 1963.
He was married for 51 years to the late Virginia Wyatt Matthews Moore.
He is survived by his son, Henry P. Moore III (Georgi) of Inman; his daughter, Virginia Lee Moore (Marty Rhoades) of Surfside Beach; his granddaughter, Virginia “Ginna” Matthews Moore; his sisters-in-law, Annette Matthews and Susan Pond; his cousin, Donnie Moore; his nieces and nephews, Anna “Nan” Straughn, Thomas “Tam” Kennerly Johnstone III, Eugene Hamilton Matthews, Daniel Hill Matthews, Alycen Nigro, Anne Linton Henderson and David Pond along with the many great-nieces and nephews.
In addition to his wife, another cousin, Gene Moore, and a nephew, Alan Henry Johnstone, died before him.
Shirl Holmes provided kindness and gentle care to him each and every week for the past three years.
A service and a celebration of life was held Wednesday at Pawleys Island Presbyterian Church.
Memorials may be made to Quilts of Valor at P.O. Box 191 Winterset, IA 50273, or Camden Military Academy at 520 Hwy. 1 North Camden, SC 29020.
Condolences may be sent at grahamfuneralhome.org.
