James Albert "Sarge" Moore, Sr. passed away on Friday, May 8th at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford. James was born at Catchings, MS in Sharkey County on April 2, 1927, to Irvin Curtiss Moore and Myrtle Rea Moore. When he was 7 years old, the family moved to Silver City and then to Anguilla.

James attended elementary school and high school in Anguilla where he was an outstanding athlete at Anguilla High School, lettering in football, basketball, baseball, and track each year. When he graduated he had a combined total of 17 letters, one which came his last year of junior high when he played on the high school football team. His senior year, he scored a total of 149 points for the season, with 42 of them coming in the last game of the regular season against St. Aloysius of Vicksburg.

In 1945 when he participated in the Delta Track Meet in Cleveland, MS, his age eligibility was challenged due to his receding hairline. His father I. C. Moore had to present a birth certificate to prove that James was indeed eligible to run.

Like many men in the Moore family, James felt an obligation to serve his time in the military. On June 30, 1946, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. After his discharge in 1947, he and his bride moved to Moorhead where he attended Sunflower Junior College. His education included not only the three R's, but also bricklaying, welding, and electronics, skills which served him well during his lifetime.

In 1954 James was instrumental in starting the first Medical Company 155th Infantry in Moorhead, MS. In September 1954 he started a new unit of Mississippi National Guard (Clearing Company 106th Medical Battalion) in Moorhead where he stayed until he retired in 1989. He was affectionately known as "Sarge" by many of the young men who served in the Mississippi National Guard.

He was a member of Moorhead Rotary Club, Moorhead Hunting Club, American Legion, and Moorhead Baptist Church.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Robbie, and his son, Mark. Survivors include his son, James A. Moore, Jr. and wife Sandra and his daughter, Sandra Moore Thompson and husband Curtis; 4 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

The family will receive friends Monday, May 11, 2015 from 9:30 am until the 11:00 am memorial service at Burton Funeral Home Chapel. Burton Funeral Home of Indianola is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.burtonfuneralhome.net


In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Moorhead Baptist Church Brotherhood, PO Box 550, Moorhead, MS 38761.