Dee Moore honored as Abilene chamber's Citizen of the Year

When she moved to Abilene in 1997, Delores "Dee" Moore thought she'd only be here for a year or so.

Instead, Moore devoted decades to her career at Abilene's Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas − and countless volunteer hours to her community.

That long-term dedication, still ongoing, is why Moore was recognized by the Abilene Chamber of Commerce as Abilene’s 2022 Outstanding Citizen of the Year at its annual Membership Meeting and Awards Celebration.

Presented to Moore Thursday by Abilene City Councilwoman Donna Albus, 2016's winner, the award has been given yearly since 1946 to a person or persons who has made a palpable impact on the city, nominees submitted by individuals and organizations.

"I am never at a loss for words, but I am right now," she said in her acceptance speech. "You all have no idea. This is an honor. I love Abilene. Abilene has adopted and embraced me. I am so thankful for having the opportunity to work in this city. You have so much to be proud of."

Not only did the award surprise the 2007 top citizen winner for the Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce, members of her family emerged to surprise here and add to the celebration on stage.

Moore is the first Black resident of Abilene, female or male, to be honored individually with this award.

"I think the citizen of the year is just based on your merits," she said. "Who you are and what you do.

"Now it's open to everyone and anyone. As everything should be."

In 2019, Mike Hernandez was the first Hispanic to received the citizen honor.

Since 1946, nine women now have been honored individually, with five more selected with their husbands.

More:Chamber honors Hernandez with annual top citizen award

Her reaction

As Albus played the guess-who-is-the-2022-top-citizen game, providing clues as the winner, Moore wondered who here twin might be.

"As they went along, I was like, 'Somebody is almost matching me,'" she said, smiling. Hints about the winner working for Blue Cross Blue Shield and graduating from Dallas Baptist were close to giving it away.

"I was getting a clue," she said.

Finally, Albus waved at Moore, who knew it was her, and told her to get on up to the podium.

"I didn't know what to do," she said of sitting in her seat while others rose to clap. "I was sitting there thinking, 'Yeah, she said Dee Moore. I can't tell you. It's unbelievable."

In accepting the award, she told the crowd she was trying not to cry. She made it through without tears.

"You have no idea," she said after being presented her award on how she felt. "I love this city. It adopted me. I came here for just a little while and I'm still here. And it's because I love this city. I love the community, I love the people and I love the vision on where we want to go."

Moore said she gives as much of her time as she can, "but I know there are people who go far beyond me."

Making a better place

Mary Ross, executive director of Workforce Solutions of West Central Texas, praised Moore's honesty and genuine nature, among several reasons she nominated her for the Chamber's honor.

"She's not just doing something to get attention or just seems like the right thing to do," Ross said. "She's doing it because she genuinely believes that it's something of value, and she really wants to make Abilene a better place."

It also helps, Ross joked, that Moore apparently has a hard time saying no to just about anyone because of the sheer number of organizations for which she has volunteered.

"Dee is kind of the person that's everywhere all the time," she said, little changing upon her retirement − even though Moore apparently joked at the time she'd planned to just sleep in.

"She is just this person who is kind of the epitome of a volunteer, even though she had an incredibly busy work schedule," Ross said. "(She) is just this incredible person who has a constant willingness to volunteer and give her time and resources, and she has always been someone you could count on."

Blue Cross

Moore came to Abilene in 1997, when Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas opened its offices here.

She had 47-year career with the company, rising from a keypunch operator in Dallas to a claims examiner to vice president of the company's federal employee program.

Moore earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Dallas Baptist University and a master’s in organizational management from the University of Phoenix, all while working at BCBS.

In a 2017 story in the Reporter-News about her retirement, Moore said someone told her that if she lived in Abilene for five years, "I'd never want to leave."

More:Dee Moore ends 47-year BCBSTX career

"They were right," she said.

Getting to know you

When Beverly Cokonougher started with Blue Cross 24 years ago, what impressed her about Moore was that even though she was one of the senior employees in the building, she always took time to be personable.

"When you have ... 900 employees that work there, you're not going to be on a first name basis," she said.

But when one would run into Moore, even outside of work, "she would make it a point to speak to you."

"She knew from your face that you worked at Blue Cross," Cokonougher said. "... And most of the time − I don't know how she did it − she knew your name. That to me just speaks to the kind of person she is. She loves people, and she cares about people."

The company, which celebrated its 25th anniversary here in February, now has about 1,100 employees.

Leaving a legacy

Deborah Ice started 25 years ago at Blue Cross and is now director of the business' federal employee program.

She said Moore was her first boss at the company, serving as a leader and a still-active role model.

Moore carries with her a sense of personal accountability, Ice said, and made it clear personal connections are important to her.

"She would make her rounds in the office, and she would talk to the staff," she recalled. "She would comment on their family pictures, and she just took a personal interest in people as a person, not just as an employee."

Moore's talent for communicating with staff and her interpersonal communications serves as a model for her own work, Ice said, as did her former boss "setting the pace" for the importance of community service.

"She didn't just talk the talk, she walked the walk," she said. "One of the things I remember her saying at one point early on was, 'You can't complain about things going on if you're not willing to be involved and have a say in those things.' Don't complain about it if you're not going to be willing to stand up and do anything about it, basically, was her philosophy."

Those values are things Ice has carried with her, she said.

"I want to make sure that I make those folks feel feel important as a person, not just as an employee," Ice said, along with Moore's desire to be active in the community and make a wider difference.

Volunteer's volunteer

Ross said Moore doesn't just show up when she volunteers, she comes ready to make a difference.

"(You) understand and value folks who actually show up and contribute," she said. "And knowing her personally, she's just honestly a delightful person. She has a great sense of humor, and she's fun to be around."

Moore's seemingly endless energy has translated into real-world results for groups such as Abilene Black Chamber of Commerce, Abilene chamber, Abilene March of Dimes, Alliance for Women and Children, American Heart Association, Betty Hardwick Center; Big Brothers Big Sisters, Big Country CASA, Day Nursery of Abilene, Development Corporation of Abilene, Hendrick Bioethics Committee, Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, aylor County Child Advocacy Center and United Way of Abilene.

And retiring hasn't slowed her down, her fans say.

Most recently, she teamed up with the Chamber, bringing forth a grant opportunity from the U.S. Small Business Administration to pilot a Community Navigator Program.

The program provides training resources to underserved and underrepresented entrepreneurs. Abilene was one of 51 communities nationwide to receive the grant, and one of only two in Texas.

Servant's heart

While Abilene is Moore's adopted hometown, she does like to travel, with favorite destinations the Canary Islands, Brazil, Cayman Islands and Bahamas.

Moore has one daughter, Kelli McDonald, married to son-in-law, Damion, and two grandsons, Grayson and Ian.

Kelli McDonald, who lives in Grapevine, said seeing her mother's drive to "go after whatever she desired to accomplish" helped her learn to follow her own goals.

"I've seen that model my whole life with her," she said.

She also has seen her mother's "servant's heart," she said, and her involvement in everything from church to manifold community outreaches, which made her an outstanding choice for the award.

She also has seen her willingness to give selflessly to others, McDonald said.

The greatest present her mother gave her?

Learning how to be present, McDonald said, whether in the community or at home.

"Her strength is admirable, and I desire the same for my children’s children," she said. "When I think about my mother, I think heart of gold. I think selfless. I think legacy."

Deep reflection

Ice said Moore's investment of time and heart is a reflection for others of what they can be.

"We're all busy, and we can all make excuses," she said. "But Dee never did. She never made excuses. She's always made time for the things that are important to her."

It's never just about putting her name on a list, or just filling a seat, Ice said.

"Dee brings her whole self," she said. "She's genuinely there to make a difference."- Greg Jaklewicz contributed to this report.

Brian Bethel covers city and county government and general news for the Abilene Reporter-News. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com.

Other award winners

• Excellence in Agriculture – Dr. Kelsi Mangrem, Holland Hearing Center, sponsored by Taylor Telecom.

• Redcoat of the Year – Jessica Andrade, Primerica, sponsored by Fullerton & Associates - CPA.

• Hispanic Business Council Champion – Pete Leija, Hitman Hog Trapping & Coyote, sponsored by Black Plumbing.

• Corporate Star Award – Enprotec / Hibbs & Todd, Inc., sponsored by Hendrick Health

• Leadership Abilene Alumni Award – Patty Fuentes, First Financial Bank. sponsored by Coleman County State Bank.

• Military Affairs Committee Award – Mindi Nagy, Abilene Country Club, sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

• Nonprofit of the Year Award – Cancer Services Network, sponsored by First Financial Bank.

• Mark Rogers Young Professional of the Year – Elizabeth Wallace, McMahon Surovik & Suttle, P.C., sponsored by AbiMar Foods.

• Chairman’s Award – Scott Dueser, First Financial Bank; Norman Archibald, Hendrick Health, sponsored by The Grace Museum.

Abilene's Outstanding Citizens

1946: Roscoe Blankenship

1947: Nib Shaw

1948: Ed Stewart Sr.

1949: D.H. Jeffries

1950: Malcolm Meek

1951: C.M. Caldwell

1952: W. P.Wright Sr.

1953: J C. Hunter Jr.

1954: Howard McMahon

1955: Ethel Fielder

1956: French Robertson

1957: Morgan Jones Jr.

1958: Walter Johnson

1959: Cal Young

1960: Oliver Howard

1961: Arch Batjer

1962: Gilbert Pechacek

1963: Bob Tiffany

1964: C. E. (Sonny) Bentley

1965: Bryan Bradbury

1966: Ralph Hooks

1967: John A. Wright

1968: A. B. (Stormy) Shelton

1969: Oscar Rose

1970: Mack Eplen

1971: Rolf Hardy

1972: Fred Lee Hughes

1973: Harold Crawford

1974: Ed Wishcamper

1975: Rupert Richardson

1976 : Grover Nelson

1977: Bill Terry

1978: Bob Springer

1979: Syd Niblo

1980: Elbert E. Hall

1981: John Stevens

1982: Robert Deegan

1983: Dick Bowen

1984: Amber Cree

1985: William P. Wright Jr.

1986: Thomas Kim

1987: James D. Tittle

1988: Harwell Barber

1990: H.C. Zachry

1991: Frank Puckett

1992: Michael C. Waters

1993: Billye Proctor-Shaw

1994: Peggy Beckham

1995: Grady Barr

1996: Dian Graves Owen

1997: Wayne Roy

1998: Joe Canon

1999: Gary McCaleb

2000: Julia Jones Matthews

2001: Dyess AFB Family

2002: Jesse Fletcher

2003: Kenneth T. Murphy

2004: Celia Davis

2005: Gail and Joe Russey

2006: Kathy and Jim Webster

2007: Royce Money

2008: Bill Senter

2009: F. Scott Dueser

2010: Tucker S. Bridwell

2011: Joe Crawford

2012: Kenneth L. Burgess Sr.

2013: Glenn A. Dromgoole

2014: Becky and Jack Rentz

2015: Dick Spalding

2016: Donna Albus

2017: Norm Archibald

2018: Tim Lancaster

2019: Mike Hernandez

2020: Larry and Mary Gill

2021: Lale and Dr. B.J. Estes

2022: Dee Moore

This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Dee Moore honored as Chamber's Citizen of the Year Thursday