Elizabeth Moore

Elizabeth Garry "Liz" Moore, founder of the Liz Moore Low Vision Center at St. Vincent's East and co-owner of Moore Oil Co. Inc., passed away March 30, 2014, after an extended illness. Liz accepted many challenges of having low vision for the past 29 years. Unable to drive, a companion accompanied her as she assumed the leadership of many prominent civic and social organizations. She served on numerous boards, was chair of many charity and fashion events and sponsored numerous scholarships and other philanthropic endeavors. Liz was born in Glencoe, AL, to school principal William Clarence Garry and musician Myra Jo Susan Thompson Garry, who passed away when she was 10 years old. Liz was then raised in Boaz by her father and grandparents. She is survived by the love of her life, fellow golfer and antique car collector Ronald J. Moore of Grayson Valley, her husband of 59 years; their son Ronald J. Moore Jr. (Kaye) of Vestavia Hills; two grandchildren, Rebecca Moore Swann (Ryan) and Robert Judson Neal (Adrian), and two great-grandchildren, Ashlyn Shea Neal and Robert Chase Neal, all of Trussville. She graduated from Emma Sansom High School, Gadsden, where she was Class Salutatorian and played the clarinet and piano in the school band. The school honored her on its Wall of Fame for her state and national contributions. She attended the University of Alabama, where she was a member of Phi Mu sorority (and Phi Mu Foundation Lifetime Member) and was elected Miss Alabama Million Dollar Band Sponsor 1952-53, leading the UA Band on the field at halftime at the Orange Bowl's first TV broadcast in 1952. Liz will be remembered for her tireless support of the Liz Moore Low Vision Center, which continues to provide matching dollars with other grants to provide tuition for visual impairment education and scholarships for low vision children, including to the Space Camp in Huntsville for the past three years. It has also provided matching funds for the low vision clinics at UAB as well as the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. It also sponsors an art contest every November and December for children with low vision from as many as 23 schools in Alabama.

The LMLV Center has received national and local recognition, including the Lotus Award. While serving on the LMLV Center's board, she was honored with the key to the city of Talladega for Outstanding contributions to the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind, the 2004 Special Gratitude Award from Hadassah the Women's Zionist Organization of America Inc., the Southern Council of Southern Optometrists 1999 Award of Merit and the GRIDER AWARD from the Alabama chapter of the Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired. She was president of the Women's Committee of 100 for Birmingham in 2004-2006; chairman of the board/charitable trust 2006-2008; and chair of its Festival of Arts Fashion Show: Brazil in 1998, Germany in 1997 and Italy, 1994. Many other days found Liz at Grayson Valley Country Club golf course, where she founded the annual Liz Moore Ms. Alabama Witch Golf Tourney, drawing golfers from throughout the state. She was also on the board of the Ladies Birmingham Golf Association and the Old Overton Ladies Golf Association and State Amateur Golf Tournament, held there in 1997. She was a longtime member of Center Point United Methodist Church. Known for spending many years collecting exquisite antique clothes and giving fashion shows at antique car shows and fundraisers, she was the first U.S. woman to win the Antique Automobile Club's Grand National Award for Antique Cars. She also held membership in the Dixie Region Antique Automobile Club and America's Antique Auto Club and Classic Car Club. Liz was Mrs. Senior Jefferson County, 2004, and was Birmingham Woman of the Year in 1989. Other awards included the Chapel of Four Chaplains' Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion, 2001; and the Founders Award, 1996, Women's Eastern Women's Committee of 50's Outstanding Member of the Year. Alabama Symphony Orchestra organization's receiving Liz's support included the ASO Volunteer Council, Decorators' ShowHouse as opening day chair 1997-1998 and 2010-11 and the Alabama Symphony Advisory Board and the Women's Committee Board. She was chair of the Alabama Symphony's New Year's Eve Gala, 1990, the Salvation Army Gala chair and co-chair for the "Night for Sight" benefit for the Alabama School of Optometry. She was regent of the Josiah Brunson chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and founding officer of the Johnny Reb chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy and member of the Southern Cross UDC. Liz was a Republican Delegate and on the Jefferson County Variance Zoning Board, 1994-96. Among the clubs she served as president were Republican Women's Club of the South, Greater Birmingham Humane Society, the Amulets and Les Soires dance clubs and Center Point Little League and PTA. She was a founding member of St. Vincent's East Foundation Board, which she served for 25 years and as Senior Emeritous for the past five years. She also served on the boards of the Birmingham Opera Guild, Alabama Ballet, Eastern Birmingham Women's Committee of 50, E.B. Erwin PTA, East End Memorial Foundation, Alabama State Rehabilitation and Silhouettes Dance Club. A Samford University Auxiliary member, she served on its Music Scholarship Board and also helped provided scholarships for the Miss Alabama Pageant. Also receiving Liz's support were the Alabama Film Commission, Alabama Commission of Libraries, Birmingham Fashion Group, Fashion International, Center Point Pioneer Club, Alabama Historical Society, Arlington Historical Association, Birmingham Broadway series and was a lifetime member of the Samford Auxiliary and St. Vincent's East Auxiliary. Visitation will be Saturday, April 5, 2014, at The Healing Place Church, 5709 Trussville-Clay Road, at 10:30 a.m., followed by the service at 12:30 p.m. Interment will be at Jefferson Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to the Liz Moore Low Vision Center at St. Vincent's East, 50 Medical Park East Dr., Birmingham, AL 35235. Jefferson Memorial Trussville directing.