Kenneth Ray Moore, age 73, of Winchester, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at Blue Ridge Hospice after complications from a stroke.

Ken was born on July 17, 1948 in Lenoir, NC, to the late Shelby Ray Moore and the late Ruth Clay Moore. Ken attended Caldwell County Public Schools and graduated in 1970 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Business Administration. He was a member of Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity. Ken spent more than 20 years as an executive with Broyhill Furniture Industries, The Lane Company, and other furniture manufacturers. Before retirement, Ken was a small business owner concentrating on sales, marketing, advertising and staffing.

As a dedicated public servant, Ken served as a member of the N.C. State Senate, the Caldwell County Board of Commissioners (Chairman), the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce and the Lenoir Jaycees. He also held many leadership positions within the local and state Republican Party. Ken was grounded in his faith as a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, and became actively involved in each local church when he and his family lived in North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

Fiercely devoted to his family, the most important roles to Ken were those of Husband, Dad and Granddad. He and his wife, Charlene, were married for 52 years. A true partnership, they strongly championed each other’s individual interests. Ken and Charlene loved spending time in the Blue Ridge mountains and at the Outer Banks, and especially enjoyed watching the sunsets over the Currituck Sound at The Blue Point restaurant in Duck, NC. Daughter, Rebecah, shared Ken’s adventurous spirit and the two spent many weekends snow skiing and white water rafting until their sore knees gave way to calmer pursuits.

Ken spent countless hours on the sidelines for baseball, basketball and soccer games. The outcome never mattered – he just loved to watch his three grandchildren play! He taught them the joy of tending a garden, the importance of a firm handshake and the art of nap time. He shared his love for Tar Heel basketball, American history, and PBS documentaries but good luck getting him to share his pint of Haagen-Dazs butter pecan ice cream.

Family surviving to cherish his memory include his wife, Charlene Andrews Moore of Winchester, VA; his daughter, Rebecah Shepherd, son-in-law Ray Shepherd and grandchildren Anna Grace, Lillian and Luke of Great Falls, VA; two brothers, Barry Moore and wife Kim and Jeff Moore and wife Shannon of Lenoir, NC; two sisters, Donna Hartley and husband David of Lenoir, NC and Vicki Yates and husband John of Fleetwood, NC; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Littlejohn United Methodist Church in Lenoir, NC. The service will be conducted by Rev. Richard Irwin. The family will receive friends at the church following the service.
Contributions in Ken’s memory may be made to the Littlejohn UMC Cemetery Endowment Fund, PO Box 447, Lenoir, NC 28645; Braddock Street UMC/ Missions, 115 Wolfe Street, Winchester, VA 22601; or Blue Ridge Hospice, 333 Cork Street #405, Winchester, VA 22601.