As the sun rose on April 29, Joe Moore passed peacefully. Joe was born August 13, 1952 to Jack and Penny Moore in Helena, Montana. He attended Catholic schools and graduated from Helena High School in 1970. Joe initially worked installing floors for Finstad Flooring and other companies. In 1977 he began his 44-year profession as a real estate appraiser with Moore Appraisal Firm. Joe trained under his father and later mentored his brother, sister, and nephew as they learned the appraisal business. He was instrumental in passing the first laws regarding appraisal licensing in Montana and was well respected by peers and clients alike. After spending his first years as a residential appraiser, Joe spent the last 20+ years doing commercial work, including many different types of property in Helena and around the state.
Joe’s pride and joy were his daughter and 3 granddaughters. He often drove to Great Falls to have dinner with them or attend a school event. He bragged about their accomplishments and enjoyed watching them grow, get good grades, pass tests, and appreciate music. He helped build a house for Megan and the girls volunteering many weekends with NeighborWorks Great Falls, often enlisting other family members and friends to assist.
Joe was an enthusiastic, avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt and fish in Montana and Alaska. He was an accomplished taxidermist. While he taught himself taxidermy as a hobby, his mounts rivaled or exceeded those of many professionals. Joe made sure that his granddaughters, nieces, nephews, and other children caught fish and delighted in their joy as they hooked and landed a fish. For many years Joe meticulously tied his own flies. Joe taught hunter education to a generation of youth from the Elliston-Avon community. He enjoyed hearing stories about hunts from his students and seeing their pictures. Joe processed his own game together with his cousin Gary and Uncle Bud and was known for making excellent sausage.
As the oldest of eight children Joe was the big brother who would help on any project from building a house, plumbing, roofing, or flooring repairs, buying real estate, floating a river or sharing a hunt. He forged special relationships with each sibling and was treasured by all. Joe had a heart of gold. He valued his many friendships and routines of lunches, dinners, donuts, and ice cream with friends. He also went out of his way to help anyone who needed it.
Joe loved vehicles and spent endless hours working on them. He started with a classic Pontiac convertible and progressed through a series of trucks that sometimes seemed to be just a collection of parts moving in formation. Later he enjoyed driving his red Corvette with the Treasure State Corvettes and showing his 1959 Corvette at classic car rallies.
To say that Joe loved rock and roll music is an understatement. He could recite the lyrics to hundreds of songs from all eras. He attended live concerts whenever he could and liked to challenge others with music trivia. Joe was a diehard Seattle Seahawks fan seldom missing a game on television and occasionally attending in person. Joe had a great sense of humor and enjoyed joking and teasing with his family, friends, and waitresses. Coffee was a staple for Joe especially when paired with ice cream and friends. Many servers in town recognized Joe and had his coffee on the table within a minute of his arrival. Joe was proud of all his friendships and especially a long-term relationship with Bill W.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents Jack B. and Ruth Mary (Penny) Moore. Joe is survived by his daughter Megan Moore (Bill Gardner) and granddaughters Mariah Redfern, Reina Crawford, and Emma Jo Gardner of Great Falls; his siblings Lou Moore (Hal Aasen), Tim Moore (Liz), Dan Moore (Lori), all of Helena; Sue Moore (Pete Stabio) of Polson; Nancy Rossmiller (Dana) of Lewistown; Maureen Moore of Spokane and Mary Kay Linke (Craig) of Helena as well as many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.
At Joe’s request there will be no funeral service. Friends and family are invited to stop by the Fairgrounds Picnic Shelter on Sunday, May 16th from 2 to 4ish to share memories and celebrate Joe’s life.
Memorials may be made to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Powell County Search and Rescue, or a charity of your choice. Please visit below to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Joe.
Service Schedule
Social Gathering
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday May 16, 2021
Fairgrounds Picnic Shelter
98 W Custer Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Service Schedule
Social Gathering
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday May 16, 2021
Fairgrounds Picnic Shelter
98 W Custer Ave.
Helena, Montana 59602
Share
DEAN RETZ says
I am so saddened to hear of Joe’s passing. It was a great thrill for me every time I had the pleasure to talk to him! I remember when my father and Joe’s father would sit together at Carroll games. So – I have known the Moore family for many years. Joe-GOD BLESS.
Pete Brennan says
The obituary pretty well sums up Joe. He was a one-of-a-kind. He was old school, generous, hardworking and a good friend. He taught me most of what I know of fly fishing and, more importantly, what a true gentleman should be.
I was saddened by his passing but I’m glad I was fortunate enough to know him.
Michael Glueckert says
My sincere heartfelt condolences to the family. So sorry!
Barb Morris says
Megan & Family, I am so sorry about your loss. Joe was such a treasure! We always enjoyed his company at Jorgenson’s.
Mark and Reg says
To the family of Joe, we extend our sincere condolences in your loss. He was a great guy with a fun sense of humor and a kind heart. He will be greatly missed. RIP Joe.
Brian and Candace Ahl says
Brian and I are so sorry for you loss. We were saddened to hear of Joe’s passing. He taught hunter education to our children – Samantha and Justin. He made his mark in the Elliston Community. Thoughts and prayers for healing.
Tim & Kathy Royston says
Joe & Tim made the long track to Alaska, meeting Stip who thought better than to drive the distance. They all had a great hunting trip with many memories. We were able to see the beautiful home he built near Elliston. Joe always stopped to talk if he ran into you anywhere. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.
Kelley Patzer says
Moore family,
With sorry I read of Joe’s passing. My time with him and many of you has been a blessing in my life. I can find comfort in knowing he is in a better place. When you stopped to see Joe you better have plenty of time and be ready for coffee. What a great family I got the chance to know starting with your parents and many children and even the grandkids. I will pray that you all can find comfort in the knowledge we will all be together again. God Bless all of you. PS I am out of town and cannot make the services. Would have enjoyed seeing all the rest of you.
Gary J Dunn says
I went to grade school and high school with Joe. I saw him every once in awhile at the Avon Cafe and I always enjoyed our visits. Joe was a good guy when we were kids and still was the last time I saw him. I will miss him. My prayers and sympathies to all of Joe”s family. May he rest in peace.
Rick Pyfer says
I was deeply saddened to read of Joe’s passing. My thoughts and prayers to all the family and particularly his daughter and family and Tim who worked for years with him at the appraisal shop. I met Joe when the three catholic grade schools merged into Helena Catholic Central High School (now Capital HS Building). We have been friends since that time although our paths crossed infrequently. I know Joe, like all of us, was very disappointed that HCCHS closed our senior year. Last year when I saw Joe (in regard to some help with Family Promise – and learned he and Tim had donated their time remodeling the Family Promise house) I told him about the upcoming 50 year reunion I was chairing. He said he’d be interested in a HCCHS reunion gathering but doubted he’d attend the HHS one. This messaged to me his love of that group of our 78 classmates who were really tight. We lost Larry Pfieffer recently from that group and in the past few years Joe Kiely, Sharon (Robinson) Cuchine, and Maria (McCarthy) Goebel. A number of others have passed over the years. It is always hard to see this as we all shared a special bond. Gary Dunn (comments above) was also a classmate. Over the years I remember Joe speaking fondly of his Avon area landowner connections and was not surprised to see he taught hunter education to the kids from that area. He clearly loved to hunt that area.
Joe was a devout and good man and a hardworking and competent professional appraiser. I am sorry you his family and our community lost him so young. God bless you in your grief. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Unfortunately, I won’t be in town to meet Joe’s wonderful daughter and family at the gathering. I will pray for you all to find comfort at this difficult time of your loss.
Mary Pat Sias Dutton says
My sympathy to Joe’s family. We were classmates from first grade until we graduated in 1970. He was the ultimate good guy and a friend to all. As I’ve thought of him after reading his obituary, I keep thinking of these words from a song –
“He will raise you up on eagle’s wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of His hand.”
Rest in peace Joe.
Diane Macaraeg Langenfus says
I am shocked to read about Joe’s passing. I first met him when my brother in law Jim Mayle was suffering his final days of his battle with cancer. Joe along with Hank Muchmore, Sidney Burgess Pool, Tom Gustin and myself took turns for three weeks sharing time with Jim until we were finally able to get Jim into Evergreen in Clancy where he passed a few days later. I had never seen such loyalty to a friend like Joe and Hank had in taking care of and respecting a dying man’s wishes. Jim trusted Joe with everything and Joe was steadfast in seeing to it all of Jim’s wishes were followed through.
They were friends for many years and hunted, fished, had many good times and many lunch and coffee dates almost daily. I had never met a man with such love, loyalty, compassion and honor for a brother as he saw in Jim.
For about a year after Jim died, Hank, Joe and I would meet for coffee and rolls or lunch at the Mother Load, Jim’s favorite place. And Joe followed through taking care of Jim’s estate and belongings until it was settled.
A man of his word with a heart as big as the globe itself, he planned Jim’s funeral, got together with those that Jim had delegated for specific roles in dispersing his things.
Joe was the kind of guy that you wish every guy you meet could aspire to. He was honest, steadfast in his commitments and never put on a show doing it. One of the most unassuming people I had ever met and I envied my brother in law Jim for having both Joe and Hank in his life for most of his life. I’ll never forget Joe and I just wanted his family to know the pride and joy and honor I had in knowing him.
God Bless you Joe and God Bless your family
Helen Loendorf says
I was so shocked to hear of Joe’s passing. He was a really great guy and will miss our Monday lunches at the Motherlode. He was always great at helping everyone get thru a hard time. So sorry for your loss. He will be missed and remembered by all who knew him.
Kim Colvin-Bennett says
My heart is so sad about Joe’s passing. He was always so ready to lend a hand when he could in the appraisal business. I have known Joe for 30 years and he was always kind and generous with advice and ideas about data for our painstaking jobs. This is tough news. My heart goes out to my other friends and his relatives at the Moore Appraisal Firm, Tim, Shawn, and the whole crew and to Joe’s family. He will be sorely missed in our world. He’s climbing that mountain now…I can see him…Blessings
Byron Beley says
My sincere thoughts of sympathy to the Moore family in Joe’s passing. He was a good friend of mine. We had many lunches together along with Hank Kerttula over the years solving the worlds problems. I worked with him a lot through my employer in aways getting quality appraisals. He always talked about his work on his corvette that he worked on for years. The best advise I gave him was to get insurance coverage on it. It wasn’t too many months after that that when it tragically burned up. Joe was devastated when he lost his corvette but he was able to buy another similar one that helped heal his loss. I will miss my friend.
Dave Lordemann says
I met Joe on the bus to high school. Soon he was driving a car pool in that excellent Pontiac Convertible. Some afternoons, we would stop at the 4B’s cafeteria for French Fries. Years later it would be Gertie’s, Joe liked to get their Pork Chop sandwich with mustard (and sometimes and extra cheese burger too). He introduced me to skateboarding down sidewalks of Rodney to the Jr. High school, we were lucky to survive that. He also introduced me to a lot of music, our last conversation, in February, was mostly about the “Doors” and how covid was interfering with giving his grandchildren a hug. I miss him and look forward to seeing him on the other side.