Richard Van Moore – husband, father, grandfather, animal rescuer and all-around helper of anyone in need – died Wednesday after a brief illness. He was 68.

Moore was born in Georgia, the oldest child of Hancel Curry Moore and Bonnie Bell McCoy Moore. The family later grew to include two sons, Allen Terry Moore and John Keith Moore, and one daughter, Melody Ann Moore.
The family moved to follow their father’s Army career, eventually settling in Huntsville, Ala. There, Richard finished high school and began his career with the Federal Aviation Administration.

He married his first wife there and had his first daughter, Melissa Marianne. His second daughter, Mallory Elizabeth, was born four years later when the family was living in Texas. They soon moved to LaPlace, La., where the girls grew up.

He was thrilled to be the father of daughters, learning early the proper protocol for imaginary tea parties and how to gently brush out hair tangles. He built balance beams, decorated play houses and brought home a steady stream of furry, feathered or scaly creatures who needed the family’s help.

That devotion to animals continued for his entire life and was among the most important things he passed on to his daughters.

He also never stopped helping people – family, friends, neighbors, complete strangers wherever he encountered them.

When he married Marjorie in 1989, he taught her how much fun life could be. She kept him grounded. They were a perfect match, and spent the rest of their lives together in Zachary, where they continued raising her two children, Ashley and Michael Gremillion.

And then came the grandchildren. Marjorie’s daughter Ashley and her husband Jason Coker had Olive Kate 2013 and Marjorie’s son Michael and his wife Felicia had Max Parker in 2013 and Hank McCoy in 2015.
Nothing thrilled Richard more than being a grandfather. When he died, he was wearing his favorite T-shirt: styled to look like the movie poster for “The Godfather,” but identifying him as “The Grandfather.”

Many years before he became The Grandfather, he had been alerted by doctors that his kidneys were failing, a side effect of a medication he had been taking most of his adult life. Fortunately, one of his daughters was an excellent match and after a transplant surgery during Thanksgiving week 2003, they were able to thrive with one kidney each. He was grateful for the 13 years of healthy life that followed the transplant.

Because of that experience, Richard asked that, in lieu of flowers, people donate in his memory to Tulane’s Abdominal Transplant Center. He suggested they could also honor his memory with a donation to the Humane Society of Louisiana.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Charlet Funeral Home in Zachary with a service there at 7 p.m. by Pastor Bob Wojohn of Plains Presbyterian Church.

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