Jack Moore

Jack Arnold Moore, 94, of Belvidere, IL passed away on Friday, June 17, 2022, at his home surrounded by family. The son of the late Herman and Lillian (Dial) Moore, he was born on October 18, 1927, in Dallas, TX. He married the love of his life, Adelaide (Lyddie) Farina on March 13, 1954, in Cherry Valley, IL. Jack moved to Belvidere, IL in the early 1930’s. He attended Lincoln Grade School and spent most of those years either in or on the Kishwaukee River. His memory was that of swimming at the Marshall Park Beach with his Uncle Russ Moore and Russ’s buddy Johnny Weissmuller, known then as Tarzan. He would give his chest pounding call, them go off the high board and swim all the way to the railroad bridge and back in about 10 minutes. Jack began his freshman year at Belvidere High School. It was a fast four years and he graduated at the time the war ended with Japan. Jack began college at Illinois Wesleyan in Bloomington, IL. Joined the PHI GAMMA DELTA Fraternity and met some great fellow students that were returning from war. After the third year at Wesleyan a sales territory opened up at Parsons Casket Hardware Company where his father Herman was President and seeing Jack with his C and D grades, suggested that Jack try his hand at selling casket hardware. On October 18, 1957, Jack’s 21st birthday, he took off on a sales trip for three weeks into Ontario, Canada and returned with enough orders to keep the plant going for weeks. This was the beginning of his sales career and the end of his college career. Jack traveled for Parsons from 1948 until the business was sold to a company in Cleveland, OH and the EPA closed the doors in August of 1982. A business competitor from Abington, VA called Jack at one of his darkest hours and offered a job to sell for him. Jack jumped at the opportunity and continued with Sterling Hardware for over 20 years. At this point in time Jack had traveled all over the US and Canada racking up over a million miles by car. During the early part of Jack’s marriage to Lyddie he also worked for Nystrom Color Studios and then on to Rockford Illustrating shooting promotional photos for local factories. Jack and family joined the Delavan Lake Yacht Club in 1972 and sailed Butterflies and C Scow class boats, meeting many great families along the way, enjoying many years on the lake. Jack’s hobbies were photography, boating, sailing, computers, jazz music (best stereo system in town), electronics, cars, motorhomes, and just about anything that lights up or moves. A family friend once said that after watching Jack tie down items on a trailer that MacGyver had nothing on him. Jack joined Rotary Club in 1962 and became President in 1968.  He received the honorable award of Paul Harris Fellow from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. He enjoyed his time with the Rotary Club and always said, “Great people, great programs and where else can you find better friends than right here”? Jack and his wife Lyddie were also members of the local SCORE assisting local people that needed help with their small businesses, and for many years also volunteered delivering Meals on Wheels. Jack is loved and will be deeply missed by his beloved wife, Lyddie; sons, R.J. (Gwen) Moore, Tony (Jackie) Moore, Jack (Debbie) Moore; daughter, Lisa Penticoff; 7 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herman, and Lillian; grandson, Jason Penticoff; son in law, Bob Penticoff. There will be a visitation Tuesday, June 28, 2022, from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Belvidere Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Belvidere, IL. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, beginning at 11:00 A.M. at St. James Catholic Church in Belvidere, IL. Interment will take place in St. James Catholic Cemetery in Belvidere, IL. Memorials can be made to St. James Catholic Church in Belvidere, IL or to a charity of your choice in Jack’s name.