Roy Moore

Roy Moore, an Arizona pioneer, a rancher, a road builder, a carpenter, a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family on June 28, 2016.

Roy Alan Moore was born Sept 5, 1931 at Wickenburg Hospital and raised on his family's ranch headquartered in the Aguila area. Roy's family at the time of his birth had already been ranching in Arizona for over 50 years. Roy's grandfather, Jonce Moore, together with his wife's family the Porter's, brought cattle down from the Idaho-Oregon border in 1876. Using Indian guides once they had crossed the Colorado river at Stone Ferry, made their way with the cattle down through Peach Springs, Williamson Valley near Prescott, Wickenburg and settled at Porter Springs which is now covered by Roosevelt Lake. Roy's grandfather farmed in the Tempe area where Arizona State University is located and in 1900, bought an additional herd of cattle near the Maricopa and Yavapai county line. He eventually sold the property in Tempe and moved all his operations to permanent water near Aguila. It would be on this ranch that Roy would begin to learn the work of a rancher. There were many times he said, growing up, that due to the open range of cattle grazing and with such a large expanse of the land, that sometimes they were working cattle and branding late with just the moonlight. After World War II, Roy's father, Kearney Moore and mother Nellie Moore would sell the ranch in Aguila and purchase the ranch near Congress that Roy would work his entire life. Even though he grew up on a ranch in Aguila and Congress, he would board in Wickenburg and attend both grade school and high school. He graduated from Wickenburg High School in 1949 with the war breaking out in Korea, Roy volunteered and joined the Marines. He was promoted to the rank of Staff Sergeant and served until 1954. During this time, on his first trip back to visit his parents he would meet his future wife Kathleen Davis (Harrison). Kathleen (Kathy) was visiting her Uncle Clifford Sorrells, who at the time was the Head of the Game & Fish for Arizona. Kearney, who also worked for Clifford at the Game & Fish stopped by Clifford's to visit since both he, Nell and Butchie (Roy's dog) had come down early to pick up Roy at the Airport. Roy was returning after completing Marine boot camp at Camp Pendleton. Kearney invited everyone to the airport to meet his son coming off the plane. Once they were at the airport, everyone had walked over to meet Roy except Kathy who had said she would take care of Butchie while they visited. Well, Roy needed to see his dog but didn't expect to see the beautiful young lady, his future wife, holding Butchie's leash. Roy and Kathy would continue a long distance courtship, writing and an occasional visit at one of the parents homes. Roy's battalion was called up to deploy in 1952, so they decided they would get married before he had to leave. They were married and after a short honeymoon he went back to the Marines and Kathy finished her degree at the Arizona State College in Flagstaff. In 1954, Roy would leave the Marines and both he and Kathy would move back to the ranch near Congress and begin their life raising a family. They would have 3 sons: Alan, Mark and Jack. In the late 1950's, Roy knew that he would need to take on an additional job to support the ranch and his family. Peter Kiewit & Sons construction was building Highway 93 from Wickenburg to Kingman which ran right through the Moore Ranch. In trade for providing Kiewit water, they would hire Roy on as a carpenter. The over-pass at Highway 71 and 93 was the first of many structures he would help build. Kiewit liked his work and asked him to continue with them. He would later become one of the Construction Superintendents of Structures for Kiewit and be responsible for many of the original overpasses built on Interstate 40, from Kingman to Holbrook. During this time, he would also get his pilot's license so that at the end of the day Friday, after a week's worth of work building roads, he could fly back to the ranch and work the ranch chores. He did this for 17 years, working to provide cattle for Arizona as well as to build the highways to support her growth. Roy continued to ranch and work this land his entire life. He served a number of positions for the Yavapai CattleGrowers, including President. When he wasn't working the ranch or building highways, he traveled with his wife to 2 different continents, took the rafting trip down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon, along with countless hunting and camping trips with family and friends. Roy enjoyed the life he was given but he truly enjoyed his family. His wife Kathy of 63 1/2 years of marriage, his sons and grand-children: Alan (Cindy) Moore of Phoenix and their children Richard and Shawna, Mark(Mary) Moore of Congress and their children Michelle, Matthew and Michael, and Jack(Vivian) Moore of Wickenburg and their children Kathleen, Rachael and Jackson. He is also survived by 6 great grand-children: Sarah (Michelle and Chris), Brooke and Carter (Mike and Tiffany), Wesley (Richard and Sarah) and Collin and Charlotte Grace (Katie and Cody).

Roy will be greatly missed.