French "Bubbles" Harden Moore, Jr. died Sunday, April 10, 2011.

Born in Huntersville, November 19, 1934, he was the youngest son of the late French H. and Mary Frances Bratton Moore.

French grew up and enjoyed much of his childhood with many friends in Marlinton and graduated from Marlinton Hight School Class of 1953. ?He worked during his youth doing odd jobs, handing over his earnings to his Ma to help support the family. He was employed at Watoga State Park as a lifeguard, worked for the state road and telephone company and started working at Captain Stearns in Atlantic City, New Jersey, putting himself through West Virginia Polytechnic. ?The Army drafted him and from 1955-1957 French was a Sergeant G-2 Intelligence in Orlean, France. ?He was within a unit that read intel on the Laos crisis before the Vietnam war and was also recalled to Fort Hayes ,Ohio. ?French managed to travel Europe with his favorite place being Mallorca off the coast of Spain.

After an honorable disharge, French began employment with Dupont in 1959 and retired from there.

He was a man who had a boundless zest for living. ?He loved his family immensely. ?His unfailing generosity and limitless self-sacrifice for his family are well-known. ?He rarely met a stranger and made friends easily, interested in and talking about a vast array of subjects. ?He loved the outdoors and puttering about in his yard with his gardens and flowers. ?French enjoyed pursuits including sports: basketball, football and baseball. ?Visiting with friends stopping by, nature and gardening, birds and critters and having family over to partake of great cooking and taking rides to enjoy the rhododendron and mountain laurel blooming in Watoga State Park, Canaan Valley, Lake Moomaw, Virginia, to visit family and friends, camping and picnicing. ?He had a lifelong love of books and the printed word - from the comics of his youth to the latest western, thriller or mystery. ?French's simple pleasures and idea of relaxing were reading, vacationing with family, seafood feasts, searching for shells and watching dolphins on Hatteras and Ocracoke Island, North Carolina.

He was well traveled, having experienced Europe in his youth and to include the East Coast of the US, particularly Jekyll Island, Georgia, and Marco Island, Florida, and parts of the mid-west with an awe for Palo Duro Canyon.

French was both anchor and compass for family and traditions.

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 43 years, Alomia Marie Horn Moore, with whom he shared his life, love and who was his everything and to whom he was absolutely devoted; and a brother, Guy "Buddy" Moore.

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French is survived by his daughter, Tina Moore Clements, and husband, Stephen Randolph, of Churchville, Virginia; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Sharon Doyle, and husband Terry, Patricia Lawhorn, and husband, Larry, Wanda Roberts and Keith Horn; last surviving brother, James Moore, of North Bend, Oregon; numerous nephews and nieces; great-nieces and nephews; the best of friends who were his closest confidantes, with whom he shared the good and the bad, many laughts, enjoyable times and great memories,; is best "Bro" Michael Ware, and wife Patricia, and "the Hoss," Gene Pryor, and wife, Suzie.

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Arrangements are entrusted to Coffman Funeral Home and Crematory in Staunton, Virginia. ?Service and inurnment are private and per French's prearranged and specific instructions.

The family will receive immediate family and close friends at 158 Buffalo Gap Highway, Churchville, Virginia, on Saturday, April 16, from 1 - 4 p.m. with an informal meal served while stories and laughter are shared.

In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the following charities: Shenandoah House, Hospice of the Shenandoah Care Program, 111 North Campus Drive, P. O. Box 215, Fisherville, VA 22939 or Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, 96 Laurel Hill Drive, P. O. Box 937, Verona, Va. 24482.

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