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Former Blanchard Business owner of 41 years, Norvel Joe Moore, was born February 11, 1930, in Blanchard, Oklahoma, to Jessie Mae and John L. Moore. He went to be with his Lord and many loved ones on July 1, 2023, at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
Norvel Joe graduated Blanchard High School where he loved playing football, playing in every game until he graduated. He was a starter on the original post-war team of 1946-47 and the 1947-48 state runner-up team.
In 1950, Joe married his high school sweetheart, Ruth Soward, a happy marriage that lasted 72 years until death did part them. Also in 1950, he went to work for Shrimpton Mfg. Co. in Oklahoma City, working there until 1952, when he was called to serve his country in the US Army during the Korean War. After basic training at Camp Roberts, California, he was assigned to the Engineering Depot on Ladd Field, Fairbanks, Alaska, where Ruth joined him.
After his discharge from the Army, Joe and Ruth returned to Blanchard, and he attended Oklahoma City University and earned an Associate Degree in Electronics as a Television Technician. He worked a few months in a local TV repair shop, and in 1954, he purchased the business from Leroy Gibson and began Moore’s TV Sales and Service. In 1968, Joe added furniture sales to his growing business and eventually occupied 4 buildings on the main block of Main Street. It was only natural for Joe to establish a business in Blanchard. Joe’s father J. L. Moore, his brother Odis Moore, and his nephew Troy Moore, were all Blanchard business owners, and Joe’s business kept the Moore business tradition going from 1930 until his retirement in 1996. In keeping with family tradition his grandson, Corey Holmes, also owns two Blanchard businesses – Blanchard Auto Sales and Blanchard Fitness.
Joe loved Blanchard and was very grateful for the Blanchard area residents’ support of his business throughout the years. He told Ruth before they married that he never wanted to move from Blanchard. He loved watching football games, RV camping, fishing, and for several years enjoyed flying their Cessna 184 after receiving his Pilot’s license in 1970.
Norvel Joe was never one to sit idle for very long. He started working as a teenager during WW II, building wooden boxes for shipping bombs to war zones. He also worked as a carpenter’s helper building the north end seating at OU stadium. During his HS senior year, he drove a school bus. In retirement, he kept busy with his lawn, garden, and taking care of rental property, but he also found time to do some traveling, camping, and fishing.
Joe accepted Christ as his Savior in 1954 and has been a member of First Baptist Church until the present time. He was preceded in death by daughter, Karla Jo Moore; his parents; three brothers, and six sisters. He is survived by his wife of 72 years; one daughter Jana Su and husband Tom Johnson of Blanchard; three grandsons, Corey Holmes of Blanchard, Kevin Holmes and his wife Christine of Heath, Texas, and Kyle Holmes and his wife Chelsea of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; great granddaughters, Katelyn, Karlie, and Brooklyn Holmes. He is also survived by one sister, Letha Dell Bailey of Marble Falls, Texas; sister-in-law, Anna Rose Wilkins and her husband Gerald of Blanchard and many other relatives and friends.
Services will be held Friday, July 7th at First Baptist Church in Blanchard, OK at 10:00 am. Viewing will be available at Eisenhour Funeral Home in Blanchard on Thursday, July 6th from Noon to 8:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: Blanchard First Baptist Church Building Fund in Memory of Norvel Joe Moore (919 NE 10th Street Blanchard, OK 73010).
Services are under the direction of Eisenhour Funeral Home, Blanchard. Online obituary and guestbook are available at www.eisenhourfh.com.
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