Richard 'Dick' Moore, local business owner, community supporter, dies at 75

Aug. 25—Richard "Dick" Moore, a longtime local business owner, supporter of the community and distant relative of Jean Baptiste Richardville, for whom the county was first named in 1844, died early Wednesday morning. He was 75.

Moore, a Huntington native, moved to Kokomo in 1972 to work as the manager for Anderson Abstract Company. In 1985, he bought the company and in 1998 renamed it to Moore Title & Escrow, running the business with his wife Margaret and three of their children.

They expanded the business, opening branches in Tipton and Frankfort. After 50 years working in the title business, Moore sold the business in June to South Bend-based Meridian Title Corporation.

Moore was the great-great-great-grandson of Miami Chief Jean Baptiste Richardville, after whom Howard County was originally named. His Native American ancestry was something he took pride in and never forgot about.

In addition to his day job, Moore was active in the community, serving on numerous boards and organizations, including the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance, St. Joseph/St. Vincent Hospital Executive Board, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Noon Club, United Way and the Knights of Columbus, where he was a fourth degree Knight. For his contributions to the community, the Howard County Commissioners awarded Dick and Margaret Moore with the Pillar of the Community award earlier this year, the county's highest honor.

His membership in the Kokomo Knights of Columbus 696 was instrumental in the organization donating the roughly $15,000 needed for the city to install its first Safe Haven Baby Box, which "legally enables anyone to give up an unwanted infant anonymously without fear of arrest or prosecution,' at Kokomo Fire Station No. 1 in downtown.

"Saving one baby's life is worth the cost. ... You just never know." Moore said at the dedication ceremony in June 2020. "Someone who wants or needs to give up their child but wants to find a safe place, this is here for them."

Moore was known for that level of compassion, Grand Knight of 696 Joe Anderson said.

Anderson saw that firsthand when Moore visited Anderson's son in the hospital. Anderson's son would later die on Aug. 10. For Moore to take the time to visit meant a whole lot to him and his son, Brad, Anderson said.

"He was a super nice guy, and he would do anything for you," Anderson said. "I just loved the man. He was so down to earth, kind, thoughtful, everything you'd want in a person. The whole family is totally awesome."

Chuck Jansen, fellow Knight and lifelong friend of the Moore family who calls them "my second family," fondly and vividly remembers the time when Moore was the coach of his fifth grade Kokomo Catholic basketball team, a combination of students from St. Patrick and St. Joan of Arc Catholic churches.

Jansen said Moore recited the Catholic prayer "Memorare," which asks the Virgin Mary for assistance and grace, before every basketball practice and game.

When Jansen visited Moore and the family in the hospital on Monday just hours before Moore died, Jansen recited the prayer.

"Here we are 40 years later, and when I think of that prayer, I think of Dick and the life of faith he's lived and knowing that to the very end his faith was number one in his life, followed very closely by the love of his family and his love for his community," Jansen said. "To know that he had his faith to the very end and that he was surrounded by family, I can't imagine a more beautiful way for a life to end."

Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 3155 County Road S. 200 West, Kokomo. A rosary will be offered at 7 p.m., followed by a Myaamia Native farewell ceremony. A Mass of Christian Burial is 11 a.m. Monday at the church with burial following in Albright Cemetery with military honors.

Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.