The Rev. Mrs. Linda Lee McCollam Moore, of South Charleston, died on October 3, 2024.  She is now held securely in the loving arms of God, blessed with the peace of God.

She was preceded in death by her father, W.C. “Jack” McCollam (12-06-95), and her mother, Genevieve E. Kapp McCollam (03-15-13), whose strong personal integrity and unique closeness to God strongly influenced her own. In Linda’s own words, “They were absolutely the best parents anyone ever had!” She was also preceded in death by her first son, and the true light of her life, Jeremy Newman, of Lexington, KY.

She leaves her husband of 36 years, Paul M. Moore, Jr.; their son, the other true light of her life, Paul M. Moore III “Trey”; and her precious little angel, Luci Lee, at home; and her daughter-in-law, Sherri Stickles Newman, of Lexington, KY. Other survivors include: sister, Marjorie “Margie” McCollam Adkins, of Rio Grande, Ohio; nephew, Jeff Adkins, and his wife, Andrea, of Gallipolis, Ohio; nephew, Brent Adkins of Columbus, Ohio; niece, Ann Dorne and her husband, Scott, also of Columbus; along with 5 great-nieces and 2 great-nephews; and one aunt, Nancy Kapp Ratliff, of Columbus. Many cousins, their children, and grandchildren were also very dear to her.

Family and friends will remember Linda as a Christian, a woman of integrity with a gentle spirit, and yet a possessor of inner strength, having been stricken with polio at the age of 4 years, and later persevering through other tribulations that life often brings our way.  She did not, however, label herself a “victim,” but a “survivor,” a fact that was very important in her thinking.

Born February 3, 1950, in Charleston, Linda was a 1968 graduate of South Charleston High School, a 1972 graduate of West Virginia State University, with a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education, and a specialization in Math.  While a student at WVSU, she was an active member and leader of the Campus Crusade for Christ fellowship and evangelistic group.  After teaching for one year at Shoals Elementary School, while she was still a member of her home church, Boyd Memorial Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), she followed God’s call to the Christian ministry and became a student at the Lexington Theological Seminary, Lexington, KY. She graduated from LTS in 1977, with the degree of Master of Religious Education, having completed the writing of her thesis (“The Preschool Child’s Understanding of God”) two months after her first son, Jeremy Newman, was born. On May 22, 1977, she was ordained into the Christian ministry at the Perryville Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Perryville, KY.  Rev. Moore served several churches as Youth Director, Student Associate Minister, Assistant Minister, and as a volunteer Interim Minister, as needs arose.

The Rev. Mrs. Moore officiated at many weddings, including that of her son, Jeremy Newman, and performed the baptisms of her younger son, Paul Moore III, and others. She presented innumerable messages in Sunday worship, and officiated as part of countless worship services, including the presentation of the Benediction at the 1995 GWHS Baccalaureate Service of her son, Jeremy. She served as Deacon and Elder, visited with and offered prayer and Holy Communion to many shut-ins, and presided at countless funerals, some of whom were her own relatives.

After living in Dallas, Texas, where she taught at the St. John’s Episcopal School, and Pikeville, KY, she returned to South Charleston in late 1985. After beginning what would become many post-graduate classes at the WVCOGS (currently MU), she returned to the full-time teaching profession in 1986 at Piedmont Elementary for over 11 years. She then taught at Holz Elementary School for another 14 years, until her retirement in June 2011.  Linda worked with children and young people of various ages nearly all her life: as a babysitter, church school and vacation Bible school teacher in many churches, youth director, elementary school teacher, and private tutor to many; and in the vocation she held blessed in the highest of honor, as a mother and grandmother.  She had a heartfelt love of children and a way of relating with them that is seldom found. Children, in this wide variety of relationships, brought sparkles to her eyes like few things in her life.

A service will be held at the United Disciples of Christ Church, 100 United Disciples Dr, South Charleston, WV 25309, at 1:00 PM, Saturday, November 16, 2024. Following, a meal will be shared by any who knew and loved her wherever to celebrate her life, share her memory, and enjoy being together, as she would have wanted.

Although Linda enjoyed many sorts of flowers, it was her very strong wish that they not be sent. Those who wish to send monetary gifts in her memory are asked to remember the March of Dimes (note: to be used for the work of research and support of Polio survivors), the YWCA Resolve Spousal Abuse Program, the Alzheimer’s Association, Hospice, or the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Association.

Snodgrass Funeral Home, South Charleston, is handling the arrangements.