John Wm (Willie) Moore passed away at 80 years old from three massive heart attacks at the Wenatchee Hospital. Close family and friends were at his side.

He married Judy Schu-macher in 1960 and they lived together in Midvale Valley, Clinton, Wash. They had two children together. Timothy John was born in August 1960, and Teresa Arlene was born in September 1962.

Willie always wanted to work on the water, so he learned about fishing for bait with Gordy Rasmussen and sold bait out of tanks at Sandy Hook. He also worked at the same time at Athletic Supply in Seattle.

In June 1963, the family moved up to Squaw Harbor, Alaska to work for Peter Pan Seafoods king crab cannery for 2 1⁄2 years. Then, the family moved back home to Midvale Valley on Whidbey Island.

Willie and Ivan Richard-son started building together and formed “Richardson & Moore Construction.” They worked well together. Along with building, we also bought the Teresa M, a gillnet boat and fished. A few years later, he put the gillnet boat on the Western Pioneer to ship it to Akutan, Alaska, where he fished False Pass and King Cove with Ivan. The two fellas loved the fishing, and the boat was big part of our lives then.

Willie loved people, starting up conversations with strangers and was always ready with a remark. He gave his opinions to friends and was always ready to help someone with a project. He retired on Nov. 30, 1998 as a ferry captain after 23 years with Washington State Ferries. We traveled the U.S. and Mexico together for years. In 2002, we decided to purchase a home in Yuma, Ariz. to winter there as snowbirds.

While there, we discovered lots of other South Whidbey natives who settled there and had a great time enjoying the sun, going on off-road Jeep trips, quad trips, forming golf teams with friends and helping friends build onto their places. We would have “happy hours to attend,” and had lots of fun together.

We would return to Whidbey in April to our 12-acre property on Nason Creek, clearing the property, building a log cabin, and a large shop. He loved going on fishing trips to Canada and Alaska every year with his friend, Mike.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Olive Moore; brother, Harold Moore; son, Tim Moore, on Jan. 20, 2019; half-brother, Oscar Olsen; and half sisters, Dorothy and Annie.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Judy, of Clinton; daughter, Teresa, of Clinton; brother, Siegel (Toni) Moore, of Federal Way, Wash.; grandchildren, Carissa, of Clinton, John (JR) Moore, of Puyallup, Wash., and Whitney Croker, of Kermit, Texas; and great grandchildren, Rhylee, 7, Harleigh, 6, and Hank, 2.

Have a toast for Willie! No flowers please. We will always remember him in our hearts. Willie will be missed by many, forgotten by none and remembered by all who knew him, as said by his only grandson, John “JR” Moore.

Willie will be buried in the Moore family plot in Langley Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be held 2-4 p.m. Oct. 12 at the American Legion Hall in Bayview.