Gene Moore, who passed away on Sunday, used a calming, confident voice to teach and coach thousands of students in Evergreen Public Schools through the years

Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com

Gene Moore spent most of his life serving, teaching, coaching, and encouraging.

Based on the outpouring of love and support his family has received in the last few days, it was a lifetime of making an impact.

Leroy Gene Moore, who served as a medic in Korea, returned home to become a teacher, and then spent more than 40 years as a teacher and coach, died on Sunday — Easter Sunday — at the age of 88.

He worked for Evergreen Public Schools for 29 years, retiring in the early 2000s, but he kept volunteering as a track and field coach all the way through 2022, when he helped hurdlers at Union High School. One of Gene’s four children, Steve Moore, is the head track and field coach at Union.

“He was still trying to get on staff, even when he was in the hospital,” Steve Moore said, recalling a conversation from just a couple weeks ago. 

Gene, from his hospital bed, also watched a video of one of his grandchildren working the hurdles in practice. Gene still had a few pointers.  

It is not an exaggeration to say that Gene Moore coached until the very end, and all of Gene’s coaching was done with kindness, too. 

“Always positive. Always positive,” Steve said. “He’s one of the most positive people you’ll ever know. He’ll coach you and tell you what you need to do to get better. He’ll get after you. He’ll be firm. But he will be fair to everybody. I got that at home, too. It made me such a better person.”

Gene Moore was the head football coach at Evergreen High School for three full seasons before having to retire for health reasons in the middle of his fourth season in 1987. (He also helped the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders to three Super Bowl titles. More on that later.) 

No, there were no league championships, no state playoff wins during his tenure as a high school football coach. But that is the thing with quality people in leadership roles. League titles and winning seasons are bonuses when they occur. But a quality coach can make an impact on a teenager, win or lose.

Aja Frary, who has been a stuntwoman in Hollywood for 18 years, wrote a message to Steve.

“When my senior year came I remember a very specific conversation with tears in my eyes telling Coach Moore that I didn’t want to leave high school,” Frary wrote. “He said in his incredibly calming confident voice: ‘It’s no longer your time here. You’ve got to go on.’”

Frary said that she imagines Moore would say something similar today, that it is no longer his time here, but we must move forward. 

“I know God is welcoming him home in the most glorious, beautiful celebration of his life and on Easter Sunday no doubt,” Frary wrote. 

She described Moore as an “incredible man, coach, soul.”

Greg Boyd was a sophomore in 1986 when he first met Coach Moore. Boyd said he always got by with just his athletic ability, until Moore demanded more out of him.

“One of the really special things about Coach was he always seemed to know the right tactical way to motivate,” Boyd said. 

It could be a hug or it could be a kick in the rear. 

“He was great at doing both,” Boyd said.

“He had a unique ability to get the best out of you,” Boyd noted. “I can honestly say that I don’t know that I would’ve received a scholarship to run track if I didn’t have Coach Moore motivating me, inspiring me, and keeping me on task.”

Another former athlete of Gene’s, Kyle Crowston wrote this to the family:

“I can personally attest to Gene’s unwavering positivity and infectious enthusiasm. No matter the situation, he always managed to bring a smile to our faces and lift our spirits,” Crowston wrote. “His energy was contagious, and he inspired us to work harder and strive for excellence both on and off the field. Gene was more than just a coach. He was a mentor and a role model.”

Mike Smith, who is now the head coach for the Prairie girls basketball team, visited his old coach in the hospital a couple weeks ago. Smith, who ended up playing college football, was a back-up on the Wy’east Middle School team coached by Moore when Smith was in the eighth grade.

“I was a late bloomer. He always made everybody feel part of the team and important,” Smith said. “I wasn’t even a starter, but he always made me feel a big part of the team. He made me feel as special as the starters.”

Smith would turn into a top talent in high school, but even now, decades later, he never forgot how Moore treated him. 

“He was tough on us, but he loved us and made us feel special,” Smith said. “He made you feel loved.”

Steve Moore noted that his dad would often praise his athletes for two or three things they did at a practice or game and also give the athlete one thing to improve on from that day. Steve said that his dad had the same philosophy as a parent.

Gene is survived by his wife Joan. They were married for 57 years. They have four children: Melissa, Ken, Steve, and Ryan. Gene and Joan have six grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. April 29 at the main campus of New Heights Church.

Outside of teaching and school athletics, Gene Moore was a scout in professional football. He would attend Seahawk home games to scout players for the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. These would be players the Raiders might seek out in a trade or sign in the offseason. Al Davis, the owner of the Raiders at the time, had scouts at every NFL game. Gene Moore was the scout at Seahawks games until the mid 1990s.

His sons Steve and Ryan took over scouting duties until Davis’ death in 2011.

Steve said it was a lot easier for him and his brother to scout because of the internet. Steve still recalls going to Seahawks games with his dad, then having to wait until Gene could use a payphone to give his report to a Raiders official back at headquarters.

Gene Moore was always busy. He was always coaching, teaching, or encouraging someone.

“So many people have reached out to our family with love and support for dad,” Steve Moore said. “It is clear that he made a meaningful impact on so many lives. His family is so blessed. We were fortunate to see teacher dad and coach dad everyday of our lives. But even as great of a teacher and as great of a coach he was, he was an even better father.

“We can all take his words, his wisdom, his passion, his spirit, his positivity, and live greater lives.”