Harry Moore

Quiet, steadfast, and true, Harry Moore lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. A man who never required the limelight, Harry was a man of few carefully chosen words. When he did speak, he was thoughtful, deep, and full of wisdom. His intellect proved evident in his dry sense of humor. A gifted artist, Harry used his God-given talent in many ways, including entertaining his granddaughters with cartoons and temporary tattoos, creating works for his church, and working in the advertising industry. Harry embodied his faith, especially in times of trouble. By choosing to concentrate on his blessings, he proved a powerful role model for those he loved. A devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Harry will long be remembered and so very missed.

Despite the obvious gloom of the Great Depression, the power of hope undulated in the hearts of many. With a natural drive to not just endure but thrive in the face of uncertainty, the nation continued to put one foot in front of the other to build a better future. Nowhere was there more hope for the future than in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as Howard and Florence (Parker) Moore welcomed their son Harry into their hearts and home on September 13, 1932.

The oldest of three boys, Harry grew up in Comstock Park. Though serious and responsible, he possessed a dry sense of humor and found some innocent mischief with his younger brothers, Roland and Dale. From an early age, Harry showed a real gift as an artist, and his mother encouraged his gift for drawing cartoons. The family enjoyed many wonderful times visiting relatives in the Cadillac area.

Though quiet, Harry was an active student during high school. He served as class president and created many illustrations in the school yearbook. He was also a homecoming king. For many, many years, Harry proudly organized class reunions and loved maintaining high school connections.

After high school, Harry pursued continued art training at Kendall College of Art and Design. While there, some friends of his brother's introduced him to Geraldine "Jerrie" Herpolsheimer, who was from Grand Rapids, but attending school at Western Michigan. Instantly smitten, Harry didn't hesitate to make the pre-expressway trip to Kalamazoo to visit her. Once he graduated from Kendall, Harry was in the Navy Reserves. On June 6, 1959, Harry and Jerrie married. Following their wedding celebration, they enjoyed a honeymoon to Mackinac Island, staying at the Grand Hotel during the Lilac festival.

The newlyweds made their first home in a rental house just down the street from her parents on 4 Mile Road. The house's backyard bordered Gracewil Golf Course. They enjoyed playing the game together for many years with a special group of friends aptly nicknamed the Golf Gang. This was also the home where they were blessed to welcome their first daughter, Sharon.

Within a couple of years, the young family moved to Jerrie's childhood home after building a home for her parents next to it. Forever frugal, Harry never had a mortgage or loan and lived in this home for the rest of his life. Two more daughters, Ellen and Joanne, completed the family that was the center of Harry's world. As a dad, Harry was kind, loving, and patient. Though he didn't talk much, Harry was full of wisdom and a tremendous father to his daughters. He held high expectations for education, life plans, and finances. Committed to the girls' self-sufficiency and having more choices, he taught them to work hard and live within their means.

Harry was an excellent model of these values. After school, Harry began working in advertising with a firm that would grow to become Norman, Navan, Moore, and Baird, which at one time was the largest ad agency in Grand Rapids. Harry handled all aspects of the business but really loved the artistic side the most. In time, he would seek another job working with the Gilmore Agency for a short time before the commute and environment didn't align with his goals. As a result, he spent years working for himself from his basement, establishing his own agency called Creative and Moore. Harry was passionate about his work, losing himself in whatever he was doing and often working long days. Family dinner together was a priority, regularly on the table just as Harry arrived home.

A big part of life was the family's church community at Trinity Congregational Church, where they grew their faith and participated in the community. Harry was often involved in various leadership positions and committees, creating beautiful artwork for the church, and for several years, really valued the Sunday Night Bible Study.

In time, Harry and Jerrie were blessed to become grandparents and treasured every moment spent with their grandchildren. As the girls grew older, Harry liked to keep up with their lives, was always interested in hearing about them, and enjoyed attending their special events.

Sadly, Jerrie passed away in 1997 after a battle with cancer. Just a few years later, his daughter, Sharon, and granddaughters, Katelyn and Leah, died tragically. With his faith as his foundation, Harry grieved these losses while also concentrating on his many blessings and good luck. He didn't really mind being alone and found things to keep him busy. Whether working until just a few years ago, getting in a round of golf with friends at Gracewil, faithfully attending church, engaging with friends from church, or puttering in the yard, Harry remained optimistic and faith-filled.

Meticulous and detail-oriented, Harry was always very frugal, saving and insisting on getting the best value. This allowed him to be very generous in other areas of life, another outpouring of how he felt so blessed. Later in life, Harry started painting again, making wonderful paintings and murals, some of which are still at church.

Though life feels less certain without Harry's unwavering faith and goodness, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying the wisdom of his legacy forward. In each moment we choose faith over fear, follow our passion, listen and speak with care, enjoy a game of golf, or share a quiet moment with those we love, we celebrate the many ways Harry gifted us. In this way, we keep his spirit alive and inspiring others as he so inspired us.

Harry C. Moore, age 90, of Alpine Township, passed away at his home on July 12, 2023. Harry was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Geraldine (Jerrie); his daughter and son-in-law, Sharon & Jan Siesling; granddaughters, Katelyn and Leah Siesling; and brother-in-law Henry Herpolsheimer.

Harry is survived by his daughters and sons-in-law, Ellen & Phil Walcott, Joanne & Rocky Reynolds; grandchildren Alexandra & Gene Linyaev, Leslie & Bradly Luft, Morgan & Dan Twilling; brothers and sisters-in-law, Roland & Mary Moore, Dale & Ruby Moore, Patricia & Chuck Bloom, and Elaine Herpolsheimer; as well as nieces and nephews.

Harry was a longtime member of Trinity Congregational Church, where a service to remember and celebrate his life will be held on Tuesday, July 25, at 3:30 PM. Friends are invited to begin visiting with his family at the church beginning at 2:00 PM. His family suggests that in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Trinity Congregational Church Endowment Fund. To read more about Harry, share a memory, or sign his guestbook, visit www.heritagelifestory.com