Colonel Ernest Francis Moore (USAF Retired), age 94 of Manchester, Tennessee, passed away into rest on December 31, 2014 at the Life Care Center of Tullahoma.
Colonel Moore was a former Manchester, Tennessee City Administrator during the mid 1980’s. He was an active member of the Manchester and Tullahoma communities, a member of the Manchester Ham Radio Club and a member at St. Mark Catholic Church in Manchester.
He will be fondly remembered as a loving and devoted husband, family man and American patriot. Colonel Moore retired from a distinguished career in the U.S. Air Force in 1972, culminating his career as Civil Engineer of the Arnold Engineering and Development Center. He volunteered for the Navy Reserves in 1942 and transferred into the Army as a radio engineer. He was an instrumental part of making the U.S. Air Force the greatest in the world. With a career spanning thirty years, Colonel Moore was the recipient of numerous military decorations and awards including, the Legion of Merit SOGB-271 DAF 1969, Legion of Merit with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnam Service Medal, Presidential Humanitarian Award (Republic of the Philippines), WWII Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal and numerous others. He impacted many programs including aircraft maintenance on B-17s and B-26s during WWII, base engineer support during the Vietnam War including post earthquake humanitarian support to the Philippines, and engineering support to the strategic nuclear programs.
Colonel Moore was preceded in death by his brother, William “Bill” Kreile and is survived by his beloved wife, Harriet Jane Bescript Moore of Manchester, TN; three sons, Ernest F. Moore, Jr. and his wife Angie of Franklin, TN, Kevin B. Moore and his wife Carole of Bennington, NE and Timothy C. Moore and his wife Ellen of Honolulu, HI and Warner Robins, GA; three daughters, Marilyn L. Sears and her husband Steve of Spokane, WA, Melody M. Schafer and her husband Klaus of McLean, VA and Maria L. Barnwell and her husband Ed of Dallas, TX; brother, Richard Kreile (Sally) of Los Angeles, CA; sister-in-law, Ann Kreile of Fallbrook, CA; eleven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends.
As a dedicated military officer and man of principal, he lived by the Engineer’s Creed to dedicate his professional knowledge and skill to the advancement and betterment of human welfare. We will miss him greatly.
VISITATION
Monday, January 5, 2015, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the Central Funeral Home, 2812 Hillsboro Highway, Manchester, TN 37355
FUNERAL MASS
Monday, January 5, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. at the Central Funeral Home Chapel
OFFICIANT
Father Stephen Klasek of St. Mark Catholic Church, Manchester, Tennessee
INTERMENT
Rose Hill Memorial Gardens with USAF Military Honors
Central Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.