Catching up with . . . Tom Moore

Tom Moore, after four months of traveling up and down the tracks, is enjoying the experience, despite having to untangle GPS's and earphone cords. When he ran into Tom Gaumer, a PD retiree, they chewed the fat about people both had known -- some of the two dozen or so BJ types who switched to the PD.

And there were interesting crossovers in other ways, too. But we'll let Tom tell you that on his blog. Just click on his blog at


http://oldnewsmenneverdietheyjustwriteaway.blogspot.com/

"I'm looking forward to my next trip," writes Tom of his railroad experience.

Most of those who attend the 1 p.m. second Wednesday monthly luncheons at Papa Joe's think they know about Tom -- that he got a pacemaker last year and cataract surgery this year.

But few know he was born Dec. 14, 1930 in Richmond, Virginia, but was adopted by Spotswood and Virgina Moore in Tazewell, Virginia. "I didn't know I was adopted until I was 21," Tom said.

Tom's 41-year newspaper career was on the Bluefield (WV) Daily Telegraph, Zanesville News (now defunct), Lorain Journal, Columbus Citizen-Columbus Citizen Journal (both defunct) and the BJ. Bluefield, West Virginia, was were the legendary John S. Knight was born. But he left at the age of 3 when his family moved on its way to starting the (now defunct) Knight Newspapers empire.

In addition, Tom writes, "For four years I worked part-time in the Ohio State Patrol headquarters in Columbus, editing the patrol's magazine,The Flying Wheel.
That was a great parttime job."

"I got my journalist 'degree' from the Air Force via GED and correspondence courses," Tom emailed in response to my request for more information. "I wrote for the base newspaper in Washington, D.C. and became editor six months later."

Tom and wife Dot have four children:

Tom's son, also named Tom, who with wife Sabrina Naylor are the parents of Amanda Jean -- "she loves to write and is good at it," grandpa Tom said. Son Tom deals in pallets and junk.

Amy Moore, Tom and Dot's youngest daughter.

Caroline Jean Krack, their oldest daughter, who lives in
Minnesota and retired last year as a teacher's aide.

Katherine Ann Moore, who lives in Cuyahoga Falls, after retiring from the Environmental Protection Agency a few years back after 34 years with the government.

All of Tom and Dot's daughters were copygirls at the BJ in their younger days.

Tom heads for Ft. Myers, Florida in October to print a newspaper for the participants in former BJ sports editor Tom Giffen's Roy Hobbs Baseball World Series for older players.

Click on the headline to see photos of Tom with BJ retirees, in Florida and with family.