John Strother Moore Jr.

John S. Moore, Yakima attorney, died March 27, 2014. Mr. Moore was born in Sunnyside, Washington to John S. and Juanita Moore on December 14, 1919. He first lived at Camp Four on Naches Heights, which was the headquarters for the U.S. Reclamation Bureau Tieton Irrigation Project, for which his father was superintendent, until 1931 when the family moved to Yakima, because his father had been appointed the head of the Yakima Irrigation project. Mr. Moore attended Cowiche grade school through the seventh grade, then attended and graduated from Franklin Junior High, Yakima Senior High, and Yakima Valley Junior College (now Yakima Valley Community College). He then attended and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in 1940. He spent two more years in the UW Law School before waiving his 4-F status and enlisting in the U.S. Signal Corps where his duties included the creation and analysis of cryptographic codes, sending and receiving coded messages and censorship, in the continental U.S., Alaska and the Aleutian islands.

After three years of service, he returned for another full year of law school, finishing in December, 1946. He studied for the bar exam, passed and was licensed to practice law on April 1, 1947. (A date he found amusing and quite appropriate). He joined the law firm of Velikanje & Velikanje in Yakima on August 1, 1947 and subsequently he and Fred Velikanje began practice together in a firm which ultimately became Velikanje, Moore and Shore; that firm now practices as Stokes Lawrence Velikanje Moore & Shore in Yakima.

Mr. Moore had an interesting and educational career as a trial lawyer, involved in lawsuits in many different states and courts, covering crop damage claims, anti-trust suits, and commercial litigation. He was a member and past officer of Yakima County Bar Association, a member and on the Board of Governors of Washington State Bar Association, member of American Bar Association, and fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.

Mr. Moore is survived by his wife, Mary H. Moore, his daughter Kathleen Morehead (Dean) of Manson, Washington, stepdaughters Barbara Skyles (Randy) of Sunnyside, and Robyn Smith of Naches, step sons and wives; Steve Hildebrand (Dottie) of Yakima, Anthony Poling of Gig Harbor, Keith Farley, Stephen Farley, Michael Farley and Timothy Farley; grandchildren; Amanda Johnson, Jennille Prasad, Sean Jeffries, Chelsea White, Will Smith, Ivy Smith, Riley Smith, Garret Hildebrand, John Hildebrand, Michael Hildebrand, Ali Rose Hildebrand, Brock Poling and Nicole Poling and numerous great grandchildren nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, and his brothers and sisters, George, Donald, Frances, Helen and Polly.

Mr. Moore was a member, deacon, usher, and greeter of First Presbyterian Church in Yakima, a volunteer with Memorial Hospice, a student of the Bible for over eight years with Bible Study Fellowship as well as two small study groups.

A memorial celebration will be held at Grace of Christ Presbyterian Church, (formerly First Presbyterian Church) on Thursday, April 3rd at 1:00 pm with a reception at the Yakima Valley Museum from 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm. A special thanks to the staff at The Cottage in the Meadow for making his last days very special. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Memorial Hospice and Grace of Christ Presbyterian Church or the charity of your choice, in care of Keith and Keith Funeral Home in Yakima.