Ernest McNeil (Mac) Moore Jr., 89, of Center passed away March 9, 2023, in Longview, Texas. He was born June 26, 1933, in Center, Texas to McNeil Moore, Sr. and Iona Anderson Moore.
Services will be held Sunday, March 19 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Center with Mike Belgard and Harold Hanson, officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Oaklawn Cemetery.
A man of God with a strong Christian faith, Mac was a leader in the First Baptist Church of Center for many years serving as a deacon and Sunday School teacher. He also attended and taught Sunday School classes at the First Christian Church of Port Arthur. He loved his God, his faith, his family, and his friends.
Mac attended Center schools and graduated in 1950. After graduation, he played football for the Rice University Owls. In 1951, he transferred to Sam Houston State University where he continued his football career for the Bearkats setting school rushing records that held for 50 years. He graduated earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
In 1971 he was one of the first four inductees in the Sam Houston Athletic Hall of Honor.
After graduation from SHSU in 1954, he was drafted by the Chicago Bears of the NFL as a defensive back. He played for the Bears earning Pro Bowl recognition until a knee injury ended his football career in 1957. He was also drafted by Uncle Sam and served in the U. S. Army from 1955-1956.
After a brief coaching stint, in 1959 he began a career with American General Life Insurance Co. He retired from American General in 1997.
In 1998, he was inducted in the Center High School Roughrider Athletic Wall of Honor, received the Center ISD Distinguished Alumni award in 2000 and was a member of the Center ISD school board.
Mac was a longtime member of the Center Noon Lions Club, Sons of the Republic of Texas, and the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce where he received the Outstanding Young Man of the Year in 1968 and the distinguished Citizen of the year in 1994.
Mac is preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 54 years, Bonnie, wife Linda Howard Moore and sister, Bettye Minter.
He is survived by daughters, Karen Anderson and husband Bob of Longview, Kathy Sawyer and husband Jim of Center; grandchildren, Ashley Wier and husband Byron of Dallas, Austin Anderson and wife Kristen of Dallas, Bonnie Catherine Wilson and husband Matt of Dallas, Anne Marsh and husband Eric of Klein; great grandchildren,
Maddie Wier, Cooper and August Anderson, Marshall and Matthew Wilson, Connor, Tucker, and Sawyer Marsh, as well as many nieces and nephews. Bonus children and grandson, Shannon, Troy, and Jacob Jones of Nederland.
Sincere love and appreciation to Kaye Powell and the entire staff at Lakeside Village Assisted Living of Center. He loved you all as family and we are forever grateful for your love and care in return.
Memorials can be made to the McNeil and Bonnie Moore Roughrider Scholarship fund at Center High School or a charity of your choice.
Pallbearers: Alan Minter, John Howard, Dewey Howard, Dana Howard, Bob Howard, Howell Howard, Thomas Howard and John Black.
Honorary pallbearers: Carl Smith, Laura Walker, Mary Lynn Tinkle, and Kaye Powell.
Online condolences and tributes can be sent at www.watsonandsonsfh.com