Robert Noah “Buddy” Moore, age 68, of Murfreesboro, TN, formerly of Knoxville passed away Saturday, May 21, 2016, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center after a brief illness. He was a native of Anderson, South Carolina, and a son of the late Ralph Noah Moore and Edna Pinion Moore of Lexington, South Carolina, who survives him. He was a member of the Church Street United Methodist Church in Knoxville.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife, Judy Smith Moore; children, Amy DuPree and husband Hugh of Franklin, Judy Potter and husband Dan of Knoxville, Hope Webb and husband Charles of Harriman, William Moore of Knoxville, and Patrick Moore and wife Dorothy of Indianapolis, IN,; grandchildren, Hugh DuPree III, Harrison DuPree, Jacob, Shelby, and Isaac Potter, Catelyn Webb, and Noah Moore; brothers, Ronald Moore and wife Lynn of Seneca, SC, and Richard Moore and wife Lynn of Florence, SC.

Moore received BS and MS degrees from Clemson University and a PhD from the University of Texas, Austin. Following his doctoral studies, he completed a 4-year postdoctoral appointment at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, MD.

Prior to retirement from a 35-year career at The University of Tennessee, Moore had held appointments as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, and Department Head in the Department of Microbiology. He also served as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and as Sponsored Research Official in the College of Veterinary Medicine. His most recent appointment was Executive Director of the UT Space Institute in Tullahoma. While there, he also served on the Board of Directors for the Southern Middle Tennessee Entrepreneurial Centers (SMTEC), and was a member of the Arnold Community Council. Following his retirement in December 2015, he was honored by the UTK microbiology faculty with the title of Professor Emeritus.

In his free time, Moore was an avid reader, flower gardener, artist, cook, and lover of knowledge of all kind. But the second love of his life (the first being his wife Judy) was fly fishing, and he had fished almost every stream in the Smoky Mountains, loving the idea that John the Baptist was, at heart, a fly fisherman.

Buddy Moore will be remembered by many for his great leadership abilities but, foremost, for his love of people. Whether as a teacher, mentor, administrator, or friend, he felt a strong responsibility to help others succeed. He was a dear, sweet, and gentle man who will be greatly missed by those who knew him, but the echo of his laughter will be long remembered.

Visitation will be Tuesday, May 31, 2016, from 1:00 p.m. CST until the time of memorial services beginning at 3:00 p.m. CST at Woodfin Memorial Chapel, Murfreesboro. Elder Leo Bonner will officiate.

Donations may be made in memory of Moore to Feed the Children Program, New Hope COGIC, 310 Davis Street, Cowan, TN, 37318.

An online guestbook is available for Moore at www.woodfinchapel.com

Robert “Buddy” Moore