George Bernard Moore

George Bernard Moore, age 90, passed away peacefully on October 4 at Edgewood Vista in Brainerd. In the preceding days he was surrounded by family and caregivers and regaled with a small fraction of the stories, smiles, and laughs he always helped generate.

George was born on November 29, 1929. He grew up in the coal mining town of Uniontown, Pennsylvania, during the Great Depression. Soon after graduating from St. John Catholic School in Uniontown he joined the United States Air Force. While stationed in Anchorage, Alaska, he met his wife-to-be, Bonnie Christenson, of Brainerd. They married in San Antonio in 1951 and upon his discharge moved to Brainerd. There, George began a long career in the retail grocery business, and he went on to manage many stores for Red Owl, County Market, and finally Cub Foods in Brainerd and Baxter. Stops along the way included Little Falls, St. Cloud, St. Paul, Forest Lake, and Alexandria before he and Bonnie returned to Brainerd.

He was a lifelong volunteer and gave his time to many organizations. He participated in Sertoma, one of the oldest service clubs in the U.S., and helped found and made presentations on behalf of LAMAA (the Lakes Area Memory Awareness Advocates). He was an active member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Brainerd, and served for years as a lector, usher, and communion distributor to local assisted living facilities.

George adored his family, and especially loved watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow. He enjoyed trips to Pelican Lake, reading, dining out, an occasional trip to the casino, and sports. He was a big fan of the Minnesota Lynx and Gopher women’s and men’s basketball, and he also enjoyed following the Vikings and Twins. George was an incredibly large figure in the lives of his family and friends. He was hard working with high standards, but also kind and caring with a gentle soul. His quick wit, clever observations, and one-liners (many of which we wish we could recall) always brought a smile or a laugh. And he laughed like no one else—heartily and often.

He is survived by his loving family: daughter Patricia Johnson (Daniel) of Nisswa, Minn.; sons Thomas (Julie) of Marco Island, Fla., and Richard of Minneapolis; grandchildren Dylan (Victoria) Johnson, Casey (Larry) Moen, William Moore, and Lauren Moore; and great-grandchildren Griffin and Declan Moen and Mia Bernarda Johnson.

The family of George would like to thank the amazing staff at Edgewood Vista, many of whom shared their own fond remembrances and funny stories of him over the past week.

Due to health and safety considerations, a small, private Mass (St. Francis Church) and reception will be held on Friday, October 9.  Please contact the funeral home at 218.829.4755 for information regarding livestreaming options for George's Mass.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of George Bernard Moore, please visit our floral store.