Roger Moore remembered . . .

By Ron Kurtz
January 4, 2022

Just shy of 97, Roger Moore died Friday, December 31, at Osprey Village. He leaves a legacy of compassion, curiosity and accomplishment. As a photographer of merit, he went beyond images to capture their essence.

Roger was born in Buffalo, New York and graduated from High School in 1943. Ever the patriot, he immediately enlisted in the U. S. Navy, training in photography in Pensacola, Florida and Washington, DC. Curiosity placed him in front of a notice posted in the U S Navy Department Building. It was asking for volunteers ( One of Roger’s favorite words!),”for prolonged and hazardous duties at a destination unknown to the volunteer.” This took him to China…Calcutta…the Himalayan Mountains…Shanghai. He had volunteered to join SACO.

He held executive positions for W.W. Kinman, which lead to forming Nichols, Long and Moore Construction Corporation, building and repairing bridges and roads. The company survives him.

Roger’s first marriage was blessed with two daughters, Robin and Judy, and a son, Greg. Judy predeceased her father. He would later marry his High School sweetheart, Edith Doerr Moore, who died in 2019. Their blended family survives to continue his legacy of love.

Roger’s photographs have been featured at the Amelia Island Museum of History as well as The Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. He is, perhaps, best known locally for several books we created. The first was “Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach” which sold many thousands of copies to residents and visitors, alike. It was a photographic love letter and a historic overview of our Island home. A series of three children’s books followed, the first one being “Arfie at Amelia, A Brave Dog’s Adventures on Amelia Island, Florida.” It was unique in that very few children’s books at this point in time were illustrated with photographs.

Whether it is the Island Art Association…or the Nassau County Humane Society…or the Amelia Island Book Festival…so many organizations benefitted from his contributions. Retirement allowed him the freedom to follow his passions. He was an avid sports fan…a golfer of note…and a humanist who was articulate in “espousing his Democratic beliefs. There were too many facets to my friend to adequately describe him with a handful of words. He is best understood and appreciated by the images he has handed down to us.

Due to Covid concerns, no immediate memorial service has been planned.