Roger Slaight Moore was born in Columbus, Ohio on March 10, 1950 to Alvin “Dutch” Slaight Moore and Ruth Josephine Bunce Moore. He and his younger sister Lynn grew up in Sabina, Ohio. For the first twelve years of his life they lived with his paternal grandmother Elmira, who was a blessing in Roger’s life.
Roger enjoyed playing sports, especially baseball. He cherished the Cincinnati Reds games that his mother took him to see. Many years later it was a joy for him to take his own children, Darcy and Michael, to see a Reds game and the Hall of Fame Museum.
Roger graduated in 1968 from East Clinton High School in Lees Creek, Ohio and was the first person in his family to attend college. He went to Bowling Green State University and graduated in 1973 with a BS in Education, majoring in Social Studies. He was in ROTC, a member of the Pershing Rifles, and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant U.S. Army Reserve upon graduation. He was stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado until he was Honorably Discharged in 1976 as a First Lieutenant in Field Artillery. While at Fort Carson, Roger obtained a M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Northern Colorado, intending to be a social studies teacher.
He did not enter the teaching profession, but he was a teacher throughout his life.
Upon his discharge from the Army, Roger moved to Dallas, Texas where his mother and sister were living. He was assistant manager for a movie theatre, then a claims examiner for a life insurance company. In 1980 he began working for ICH Companies, an insurance holding company, and ICH transferred him to its office in Colorado in 1983. He left ICH in 1990 as a Second Vice President, Human Resources and Training. He then became Assistant Director for Osage Custom Assembly, a non-profit providing employment and supportive services to disadvantaged individuals, until his children were born and he became their primary caregiver.
Roger married Susan O’Daniel in 1981and they divorced in 1989. He married Noreen Keleshian on April 21, 1990, after he responded to a personal ad she put in the weekly “Up the Creek” newspaper. Noreen ranked the top four suitors based on the letters she received, and Roger was fond of saying that #4 became #1. Roger and Noreen were blessed with twins, Darcy Diana and Michael Slaight, on February 24, 1994. Although they were occasionally mistaken for Darcy and Michael’s grandparents, Roger and Noreen liked to say having children later in life kept them young longer. As the stay-at-home Dad, Roger was actively engaged in their school, sports and other activities, and a strong positive influence in their growth and maturation process.
Serving others and helping them reach their potential was truly the purpose of Roger’s life. He served as a Big Brother for 12 years. He was a CPR and First Aid Instructor and Instructor Trainer for the American Red Cross. He coached youth and Gold Crown volleyball, as well as basketball and softball. He officiated high school volleyball for 30 years, and was a USA Volleyball official for nine years. He served as president, treasurer and training director for the Colorado Volleyball Officials Association and is a member of the CVOA Hall of Fame. For the past 19 years, he was privileged to serve as the Officials’ Liaison for the Colorado State Volleyball Tournament. He was an active leader with the Boy Scouts for 11 years, most recently serving as Advancement Chairman for Troop 712. He glowed when he recounted the achievements of each young man. He was engaged in numerous ways with the Juggernaut Volleyball Club since 2005 when Darcy started playing there. During the past two years he worked as a coach and staff assistant at Juggernaut. He cherished opportunities to help young women learn about themselves and grow through participating in volleyball. Helping young people grow was truly his calling and he was blessed to touch so many lives.
A member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Denver, Roger was an adult and children’s Sunday School teacher, initiated the Prayer Ministry team, and served as an usher for many years. He was an excellent and creative cook, and understood the importance of nurturing the body as well as the soul.
Roger was a person of high integrity and strong convictions. He was humble and preferred to give credit to others. His smile was constant, and his sense of humor was refreshing. He touched everyone who knew him, and we will carry him in our hearts forever.
The memorial service was held Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 1820 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Roger's name to Cat Care Society, 5787 W. 6th Avenue, Lakewood, CO 80214 www.catcaresociety.org or The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Attention: Gift Processing Center P.O. Box 96929 Washington, D.C. 20077 www.aspca.org
This obituary above was taken from the Monarch Society's website, www.monarchsociety.com . The Monarch Society was entrusted with the care and services for Roger's family. Littleton Funeral Home is merely sharing the news of Roger's passing and will not be handling any arrangements.