Earl Lee Moore Jr.

Earl Lee Moore Jr., 67, of West Memphis, formerly of Little Rock, died November 12, 2015 at the Veterans hospital in Memphis, Tenn. surrounded by his family. Earl was a veteran of the United States Army, graduate of UAPB Pine Bluff, member of Nu Gamma Alpha Fraternity, former President of Association of Farm Workers Opportunity Program, (A.F.O.P.), former executive director of Human Development Corp., and proud member of Greater Second Baptist Church. Earl was a consummate professional and leader in the workforce development field. He served as president of the Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs and was a founder of the Delta Association for Rural Initiatives, both representatives of workforce development organizations. He also served on numerous work groups, advising Secretaries of Labor and Congress on the needs of agricultural laborers in Arkansas. As the second Executive Director of Arkansas Human Development Corporation, Earl raised the professional profile of the agency by focusing on collaboration, ensuring proper stewardship of all resources, and serving on state boards and commissions. Under his leadership, the agency developed youth and adult entrepreneurship training programs, developed a rural transit system, constructed homes in rural areas, created one of the first rural YouthBuild initiatives, and entered the health education and prevention arena by providing HIV counseling and testing services. Mentoring and small business development were two of his passions. Earl counseled struggling youth and hired young professionals across the state. He raised funds for all kinds of youth programs and was always available to lend a hand. Earl advised then-Governor Bill Clinton on minority business development issues and led by example as he helped establish several family owned businesses, including a clothing outlet and Earl Moore & Associates (EMA), which provided consulting services to government agencies. At its height, EMA had offices in Arkansas and Washington DC and annual revenue of more than two million dollars. Most of the work was for the US Departments of Health & Human Services, Labor, and Agriculture at the national level and for nonprofit organizations in Arkansas. A gifted writer of music, poetry and political commentary, Earl also used this talent to assist the wider community. One of these organizations was the Boys and Girls Club of Wynne, Arkansas, for which he wrote a proposal to the United States Department of Agriculture that resulted in approximately $100,000 in funding. He also played a vital role in the development of the application for the Eastern Arkansas Enterprise Community designation that initially resulted in more than $10 million of support. Earl supported political candidates and causes in Arkansas and the nation. The Honorables Bill Clinton and Sharon Priest were two of the recipients of his support. He also believed in holding elected officials accountable for their promises and did not shy away from suffering the consequences for speaking up when he felt they were breaking a promise or doing something detrimental to the community. He lived in Little Rock for most of his life, but the Arkansas Delta remained his home. Earl will always be remembered in love by his surviving family, including his mother, Hazel McClinton of Flint, Mich., his daughters, Kymyra Moore, and Jayla Moore both of Little Rock, his sisters, Odessa Clark of Hammond, Ind., and Donna Bridges of Flint, brothers, Archie Moore of Jonesboro, Ark., and Lee Moore of Cordova, Tenn., three grandchildren, other relatives, and so very many friends. Services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, November 19, 2015 at Greater Second Baptist Church, 5615 Geyer Springs Rd., Little Rock, with Rev. David Featherstone officiating. Burial will follow in the Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery in North Little Rock under direction of Woodard Funeral Service of Jonesboro. Visitation is 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at Greater Second Baptist.