Darwin David Moore was born on May 9, 1924, in Olean, New York to Robert Emmett and Lephia Graham Moore. He was educated in Albion, Pennsylvania public schools, received his Bachelors Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Iowa, and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Buffalo.
During his third year of medical school, Dod met Mary Jane Penny of Buffalo, New York. The two were married on September 12, 1947, and enjoyed a happy and fruitful union for forty-four years until Jane’s death in 1991.
In 1950 Dod and Jane, relocated to Galveston, Texas, where Dr. Moore completed a residency in Psychiatry under renowned Psychiatrist, Dr. Titus Harris. The Moore family, now including eldest child, Robert Joseph, later moved to Houston where Dod completed a residency in Internal Medicine.
In 1953, Dod and Jane moved to Beaumont, Texas where he set up his practice of Internal Medicine in the Goodhue Building. That same year, son Darwin Dod and eighteen months later, daughter Jane Penny were added to the brood. In 1955, Dr. Moore was drafted into the Air Force, so the family took off for a two year stint in Roswell, New Mexico.
1957 brought the birth of David Kenneth, then in 1962, Sally Voneda Moore. Dod, or D. D., as he was affectionately known to his friends, enjoyed the practice of medicine, almost as much as he loved his Farm in Polk County. He was an avid aviator and held season tickets to the Houston Astros for many years.
Darwin was always concerned about the quality of health care in Southeast, Texas, and at one point, he and his fellow physicians decided that there was a need for an additional hospital. Thus, he and his investors created Beaumont Medical Surgical Hospital (now the property of Memorial Hermann).
Darwin is preceded in death by his wife, Jane; and survived by his sister, Janet Palmer of Columbus, Ohio. He is survived by children, The Reverend Doctor Robert Joseph Moore, D.Min. and his wife Nanci, Darwin Dod Moore, D. D. S. and his wife Bonnie, Jane Moore Hill and her husband Craig, David Kenneth Moore and his wife Patricia and Sally Moore Matthews and her husband Todd Matthews, D. D. S.; grandchildren, Michael Martin and his wife Jennifer, Melinda Newsom and her husband Jed, Dod David Moore, D. D. S and his wife Becky, Bonnie Faye Ray and her husband Kyle, Mary Beth Whiddon and her husband Chris, Mark Darwin Moore and his wife Lauren, Jacob Gordon Moore and his wife Christine, Robert Cody Hill and Kathryn Jane Hill, Emily Jan Miller and her husband Chris, Dwight David Moore and his wife Morgan, Molly Lea Moore and Douglas Allred Moore, Joshua Henry Matthews, Ashton Jane Matthews and Chaiss Elizabeth Matthews. Additional survivors include seventeen great-grandchildren, Evan, Emily, Erica and Ethan Martin; Kyle and Cody Martin; Justin Dod, Robert David, and Walter Emmett Moore; Tyler Thomas Ray; Peyton Dan Moore; Weston Russell, Molly Grace, and Maggie Lea Miller; Hudson David, Millie Claire, and Walter Dwight Moore.
A memorial service for Dod will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 14, 2010, at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 680 Calder, Beaumont with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. A private family burial will be at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Stephen’s Educational Building Fund, 4090 Delaware Street, Beaumont, Texas 77706.
