Timothy Patrick Moore, teacher, sailor, tennis pro, friend to more people than he could ever realize, died on September 14, 2022. He was born on April 9, 1949, the fair-haired son of Franklin "Dinty" Moore and Dorothy "Pat" Moore. His eternal tan, loud voice on the tennis court, wide flashing smile, and his enthusiastic exclamation when a young student missed a ball, "Aww geees darnit!" will be missed.
It would be accurate to say that Tim did not commit but rather succumbed to an illness, suicide. He put his house in order, arranged for a contractor to do some work, and then did what he apparently felt compelled to do. His sister and his friends will forever grieve the mystery of a possible missed message, a possible missed telephone call, a possible missed hint of some kind, a possible chance to save him from the dark thing that grabbed him and took him from the world. The regret and guilt over possibilities are terrible side effects of suicide.
Tim was born in Seattle, Washington; his family was in the Coast Guard. He graduated from Traverse City Central, where he was a varsity tennis player. He studied in Fribourg, Switzerland for a semester in 1971. He earned a teaching degree at Western Michigan University, and taught elementary students for 15 years.
Tim had a restless mind. He built his own home with the help of a sailing buddy, Byron Anger. He bought two Cal 25 sailboats and taught sailing. He and friends were regulars in the Wednesday evening MORC races and weekend races. He earned a 50-ton captain's license, and hired on to skipper a motor yacht between Northern Michigan and Florida. He started the Old Mission Tennis Academy and taught young kids and adults tennis for many years. He developed a yoga practice and wintered at Yogaville, Virginia, for years.
From all outward appearances, Tim lived a life that would make most people satisfied, if not downright proud.
He is survived by his sister, Shelley Moore, with whom he remained close to the end.
A memorial service for Tim will be celebrated at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 23, 2022, in the Gardens at Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 Sixth Street, Traverse City, MI 49684. There will be a time of visitation one hour prior to the service.
Friends who wish to make a gesture in memory of Tim might donate to the Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan (Suicide Awareness and Prevention program), CFS, 3785 Veterans Drive, Traverse City, MI 49686; online at:
https://www.cfsnwmi.org/donate
; or to a charity of one's choice.