James ("Jim") W. Moore

James ("Jim") W. Moore, 83, of Tupelo, Miss., passed away peacefully on September 12, 2019 at Baldwyn Nursing Facility in Baldwyn, Miss., Jim was born in Akron, Ohio on May 7, 1936 and was raised in Memphis, Tenn., where he was a student at Snowden Elementary and Memphis Central High School. Jim attended undergraduate school at Virginia Military Institute and law school at Tulane School of Law. Before practicing law as a profession, Jim served as a First Lieutenant in the United States Army in Fort Hood, Texas, was an Armored Platoon Leader, 2nd Armored Division, and was a Legal Assistance Officer in the Judge Advocate General's Office, 2nd Armored Division. Jim began the practice of law in 1962 as a field attorney with the National Labor Relations Board in Memphis, Tenn. He then served as senior law clerk to Chief Judge Pat Mahaffey on the United States Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. In 1965, he went to work for the Friday, Eldredge and Clark law firm in Little Rock, Ark., specializing as a labor and employment lawyer. Jim served as the Managing Partner of the Labor and Employment Law section at the Friday firm for many years until his retirement from the full-time practice of law in 1999. Jim served as Senior Labor Counsel at Phelps Dunbar LLP in New Orleans from 2000 to 2001, served as adjunct professor in the International Studies and Economics Department at VMI from 2001 to 2002, and concluded his professional career as a Certified Federal Mediation Conciliation Service Arbitrator handling collective bargaining and employment discrimination disputes. Jim loved the practice of law and was an expert in his field of labor and employment law. Jim held many professional memberships and affiliations. He was a member of the Arkansas, Tennessee, and Louisiana Bars. He served on the House of Delegates for the Arkansas Bar Association from 1980 to 1983, served on the Board of Arkansas Personnel Association from 1986 to 1988, served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pulaski County Chapter of the American Red Cross in 1986, and as a Board Member of the Pulaski County Chapter of the American Red Cross from 1980 to 2000. Jim served on the Labor Relations Committee for the U. S. Chamber of Commerce from 1998 to 2000 as well as on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce from 1998 to 2000. Jim served on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce from 1980 to 2000. During retirement, Jim served as a member of the Executive Business Council for the Greater Area Naples, Florida Chamber of Commerce from 2002 to 2005. Jim's parents Helen and Charles were loving, hard-working parents who imparted strong values to Jim and his older brother Bill – set your goals and work every day to achieve them, excel in your education, believe that people are good and cherish your friendships and family. Jim was a devoted son and brother. As a father, his children and grandchildren were a source of great pride for him. Jim was quick to speak of his love for them and brag about their accomplishments. He kept his library and bookshelves full of their photographs. In his later years, Jim loved catching up with his family, friends and classmates from VMI on his cell phone, and rooting for the Arkansas Razorbacks, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the New Orleans Saints. In his spare time, Jim also loved decorating his homes. He had excellent taste, a deep interest in antiques and fancied himself a novice interior decorator. Jim honored his beloved alma mater VMI in many ways over the years. In 2004 in appreciation of the members of the Class of 1969 who fought in Vietnam, Jim donated a small bronze statuette created by artist Frederick Hart that was used as a study for Hart's larger sculpture "Three Soldiers" which is adjacent to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC. The smaller statuette resides in the Periodical Reading Room of VMI's Preston Library. In 2016, Jim, along with several fellow class officers, envisioned and worked tirelessly to fund the Class of 1958 Football Scholarship Fund at VMI that honors the undefeated and inspirational VMI football team of 1957. Jim is survived by his three children, Elizabeth Parkinson and husband Jeff, Jeff Moore and wife Mitzi, and Nancy Moore and his six grandchildren, Caroline Parkinson, Sam Parkinson, Cooper Moore, Emily Henson, Mary Henson, and Bob Henson. Jim is also survived by his older brother, Army Major General William C. Moore and his wife Jackie. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Helen Moore, and his first wife, Joan Haskell Moore. A graveside service will be held at 3p.m., on Thursday, September 19 at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery in Memphis, Tenn. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 20 at Second Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, Ark. First Presbyterian Church of Tupelo pastor, Olin McBride, will officiate both of these services and in partnership with Second Presbyterian Church pastor, Steve Hancock, at the memorial in Little Rock. Memorials may be made to The VMI Keydet Club, Class of 1958 Football Scholarship Fund, Post Office Box 932, Lexington, Va., 24450.