Fr. John Earl Moore

Father John E. Moore, 88 of Aneta, ND died on Wednesday, February 9, 2005 at the Aneta Parkview Care Center. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, February 15, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery, Devils Lake. Visitation will be held on Monday, February 14, 2005 at St. Joseph Catholic Church beginning at 2:00 p.m. with a Rosary and Scripture Service at 5:30 p.m. Serving as Pallbearers will be: John Moore, Chuck Jerome, Pete Jerome, Art Jerome, Mark Moore, Steve Aronson and Tom Moore. Reading the Scriptures will be: Art Jerome and Chuck Jerome Gift Bearers: Father Moore’s Grand Nieces and Grand Nephews, Philip, Natalie, Robyn, Ashley and Peter Jerome. John Earl Moore was born on September 17, 1916 in Powers Lake, ND, the son of David C. and Josephine A. (Ritten) Moore. He attended elementary school in Donnybrook, ND and also St. Mary’s Academy in Devils Lake and then graduated from Devils Lake Central High School. He attended Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington and then went on to St. John’s Seminary in Collegville, Minnesota. Fr. Moore was ordained at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Devils Lake on February 2, 1945 by Bishop Aloisius J. Muench. He was one of the first priests ordained at St. Joseph Parish. His first assignment was associate pastor at the Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo from February 1945 - June 1948 where he also taught at Sacred Heart Academy. He was very proud of the fact that Roger Marris was one of his students and they became friends. He later was asked to give the homily at Roger’s funeral. Fr. Moore also served at the Basilica of St. James, Jamestown, ND from July 1948 - June 1949; as pastor at St. John parish, Kensal, from June 1949 - June 1967; at St. Michael parish, Grand Forks from July 1967 - October 1972 and as administrator at St. Michael parish in Wales, ND from October 1972 - August 1973. Fr. Moore was then named pastor at Blessed Sacrament parish, West Fargo where he served from August 1973 - April 1990 until retiring April 2, 1990. He later relocated to Devils Lake to be near his sister Aurelie Jerome. He was moved to the Aneta Parkview Care Center where he lived until his death on Ash Wednesday, February 9, 2005. Earl, as his family called him, was an avid hunter, dog lover, golfer and was always ready for a good game of bridge. Fr. Moore is survived by sisters: Mary and (Stan) Rynkofs, El Cajon, California Aurelie Jerome, Devils Lake, ND Several Nieces and Nephews also survive. He was preceded in death by his parents, David and Josephine; brothers, Leo, Archy, Lawrence, Jim and Joe; and sisters, Agnes, Ellen and Lorraine.