APPLE VALLEY — Five generations gathered Saturday to celebrate their patriarch’s century of life.
Robert Moore, a World War II veteran, grew up on Upper Fredericktown Road and is a long-time Knox County resident.
Moore said he was drafted shortly after he married his late wife on New Year’s Eve of 1941. He served three years mainly in Europe, first landing in North Africa, traveling to Sicily, Italy, and then to ports in Naples. Amid raids, Moore spent much of his time rebuilding bombed bridges and ports, he said.
His three sons — Gary, Don and Mike Moore — do not know much about their father’s time in the war, they said.
“He didn’t talk too much about the war,” Gary said. “He often shakes his head and says how bad the other boys had it.”
Robert Moore’s 100th birthday celebration Saturday at Apple Valley began with a tribute through Hospice of North Central Ohio’s We Honor Veterans program.
Hospice of North Central Ohio took care of Robert’s late wife and kept in touch with Robert through its bereavement program, which led them to paying tribute to his service at his celebration, hospice community liaison Tina Marie Heibert said.
As Robert’s four grandchildren, six great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren enjoyed desserts and each other’s company, they told stories of their time with Robert over the years.
His sons said the family took regular fishing trips to Canada. Fishing is one of several favorite activities Robert introduced to his oldest son Gary, who said his father also instilled in him an appreciation for photography, gardening and travel.
Throughout the last 20 years, Gary said Robert has traveled with his family to places including the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Washington D.C.
Gary remembers a specific trip, back in the early 1970s, when his father and mother visited him, his wife and their 2-year-old son when they were living in Heidelberg, Germany.
“They came for a month, but stayed for three,” Gary joked about his parents.
During the trip, they took a two-week camping excursion in Italy, during which Robert showed them where he helped build ports during the war.
During the majority of Robert’s life in Ohio, he operated oil rigs, which he did until his retirement.
His son Mike worked alongside him on oil rigs during the late 1970s and 1980s, as did Mike’s friend Allen Guillozet. Guillozet said Robert remained calm and collected even when he and Mike would fool around on the job.
For instance, one day Guillozet and Mike were messing around on the rig, and Guillozet filled a bucket with water to throw on Mike, anticipating Mike would walk around the corner. But as the water hurled through the air, Guillozet quickly realized it was Robert, not Mike, he was drenching.
Instead of getting upset, or even getting back at him with another prank, Robert got right back to work, Guillozet said.
Mike thinks his father’s cool temperament is how he’s made it to 100 years old.
“He’s never stressed out, very even keeled,” Mike said, adding that he remains that way today.
Saturday’s celebration was a surprise. Mike put Robert in the car and did not tell him where they were going. His dad just rolled with it, Mike said.
Robert Moore’s life spans through wars, technological developments, breakthroughs in science and medicine and, now, a pandemic. In addition to surviving World War II, Moore survived COVID-19 after falling ill in September.
When asked what he was most proud of throughout his 100 years, Moore said he was not sure — a note to his humility, his son’s remarked.
But what Moore did share was that he was heartened by the turnout of so many of his family and friends Saturday.
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