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3/22/2019

In Memoriam

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PictureJohn Allen Moore
John Allen Moore would have turned 94 on March 20. This was the first year his family had to celebrate his birthday without him.

John Allen was my father’s first cousin and one of the boys who hung out with Pud at Camp Last Resort. The two were fast friends. John Allen’s remarkable memory of my father and of our shared family lore was a primary impetus for the publication of The Last Resort. I dedicated the book to him.

This week, my cousins Bob and Sandy Goodlett and I made what has become an annual trek to Atlanta to see our Moore cousins. By happy serendipity, our visit coincided with John Allen’s birthday. We were able to celebrate with his widow, Jane Chappell, and two of his four children, Deborah Costenbader, from Austin, and Cindy Caravas, from Virginia Beach. We also spent time with John Allen’s brother, Joe, and his wife, Jean.

Upon our return to Kentucky, we learned that another of the Last Resort boys, “Rinky” Routt, had died in February, soon after celebrating his 98th birthday. We were saddened to get that news and to recognize that not one of my father’s Salt River companions is left to tell their stories.

Our lives are cyclical, of course. We all walk the same inevitable path. But as I mourn those we have lost, I’m finding great joy in reaching out to others whose lives intersected theirs either tangentially or prominently. Getting to know John Allen’s children may promise as much joy as getting to know him late in his life. Reconnecting with my father’s friends, students, and colleagues—as well as my older cousins who knew him well—has augmented my understanding of him and of myself. My life is better because of these emerging relationships.

If you have questions about your own family history, I hope you will find the courage to ask questions of those who may have answers. You may be surprised at what you learn. Perhaps more consequentially, you may develop friendships that will continue to exhilarate you. Time is short. Don't wait. 


In Memoriam

Several individuals associated with The Last Resort have died since its publication in August 2017. I’d like to honor them here.

​To those who are mentioned in the pages of 
The Last Resort:
  • John Allen Moore (1925-2018)
  • William “Rinky” Routt (1921-2019)
  • Davy Fallis (1941-2018)
And to those who patiently endured my questions about my father or his Lawrenceburg ties:
  • John McWilliams
    Son of George McWilliams Jr., my father’s good friend and my mother’s cousin
  • Ann Denny
    Wife of Charlie Denny, my father’s longtime colleague
  • Mary Dowling Byrne
    One of my father’s good friends while growing up in Lawrenceburg
  • Holly Buckner Salisbury
    Rinky Routt’s niece and a distant cousin

Picture
Joe Moore, John Allen's brother, 2018.
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The Moore family gathering, March 2019: Sandy Goodlett, Deborah Costenbader, Jane Chappell, Bob Goodlett, Sallie Showalter, Cindy Caravas

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3 Comments
Timothy Wayne Moore
3/22/2019 07:37:55 pm

Sallie,

Thank you so much for keeping our families so alive even amongst all of the tragedy of the last few years.

I always enjoy your blog. I am a history buff myself and am constantly fascinated with your writings.

Regards,

Timothy Moore
Son of John Allen, Grandson of John Foster&
Great Grandson of WD Moore, The Preacher

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Rogers Barde
3/25/2019 08:41:39 am

I loved this blog, as I love them all, and I liked especially the pictures. I can testify to the joy of getting to know relatives, discovered in many ways and always to the enrichment of my life.

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Deborah Moore Costenbader
3/27/2019 07:56:32 am

Sallie, thank you for continuing to remember my dad and to for honoring him by dedicating The Last Resort to him. It was perfect that we could spend time with you, Bob and Sandy on his birthday. Daddy would have loved that!

I'm sorry to hear of the passing of another Last Resort boys. Those connections are meaningful and we miss them when they are gone.

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    Between the debilitating effects of age and the 24-hour crush of mind-bending news, my brain is frequently in a fog. Nonetheless. I'll occasionally try to sweep aside the ashy gray matter and shed some light on what's going on at Murky Press. Perhaps together we can also gain a little insight into how we can better use words to organize and clarify the world around us.

    Cheers! 
    Sallie Showalter, Murky Press 

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