Roberta Ena Moore

Ena Moore died peacefully at her home on the evening of Oct. 10, 2020. She was receiving at home hospice care for the last five weeks of her life, providing a blessed opportunity for her family, including her children, grandchildren, and even great grandchildren, to spend time with her. We talked, laughed, cried some, sang some, and listened to music and told and listened to stories.

Roberta Ena, as she was known to family, was born on March 25, 1927 on a small farm just south of Dalton, GA. She grew up attending church every Sunday at either the town church (First Methodist, Dalton) or the country church (Five Springs Methodist). During World War II, Ena and her mother ran the farm. Ena also enjoyed playing in the band at Dalton High School.

After high school, she attended LaGrange College from 1944 – 48, where she served as the president of the student body. As an active member of the Methodist Student Movement, she participated in a “Caravan” summer mission trip to small rural Methodist churches in West Virginia, and in Paine College conferences on racial reconciliation. Upon graduation she moved to Macon, GA to work as the Director of Christian Education at Cherokee Heights Methodist Church. It was at Cherokee Heights that she met the love of her life, Elijah (Lige) Moore, Jr. In 1951, Ena and Lige got married.

The newlyweds moved to Boston for Lige to finish his last year of graduate school. Then, Ena and Lige moved to Decatur, GA where he went to work for a bank and she worked at Cokesbury Bookstore in Atlanta. They joined North Decatur Methodist Church in Spring of 1953 and remained very active members there until her death in 2020. Over the years, Ena served the church in many roles and positions.

Ena and Lige have four children: Susan, Robert, David, and Rebecca. Ena set the tone for family life by cooking a hot breakfast every morning and leading family devotions. She also ferried the children to countless practices, games, recitals, and concerts, and took them to church every Sunday. Once her children were older, Ena went back to paying employment – first as the founding director and lead teacher for the preschool at Inman Park United Methodist Church which served what was then a transitional community, and then later as a kindergarten teacher at Fernbank Elementary School. She also volunteered with DFACS to help foster children, and taught adults to read as a part of Literacy Action. Her love and compassion for children led to very generous support for the ministry of Murphy-Harpst Children’s Centers where she also served on the Board of Directors. After she retired, Ena volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Atlanta on the family selection committee.

Ena was a master storyteller, writing and presenting stories at conferences for years. She enjoyed telling jokes and writing beautiful poetry as well. And she never stopped learning. In her later years, she took swim lessons, ceramic lessons, learned to paint, and played bocce ball and Wii bowling. Additionally, she adored spending time with her nine grandchildren: Emily, David, John, Marianna, Eli, Roberta, Daniel, Rachel, and Nathan, and her five great grandchildren: Penn, James, Mabry, Tate, and Benjamin.

Ena was preceded in death by her husband, Lige, who passed away in May of this year, as well as by her parents and her brother. Ena was a loving wife, wonderful mother, giving grandmother, and servant of the Lord. She will be missed on earth, but we know there is more joy in heaven for her presence there. A family graveside service will be held, with a public memorial service at some time in the future.

Gifts in memory of Ena Moore may be sent to Murphy-Harpst Children’s Center (740 Fletcher St., Cedartown, GA 30125. https://murphyharpst.org/), LaGrange College (LaGrange College Advancement Services, 601 Broad Street, LaGrange, GA 30240. https://www.lagrange.edu/giving/index.html), or North Decatur United Methodist Church (1523 Church St., Decatur, GA 30030. http://ndumc.org/giving).

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints…. For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. (from Psalm 116)