Moorhead Junior High science teacher Larry Moore lived his calling as a teacher to the fullest both inside and outside the classroom.

A plethora of students, community and family members are mourning his loss after he died Sunday, Jan. 14, retiring only the Friday before.

He taught for 13 years before his death sent a shock-wave throughout the community. Moore’s daughter Jamie Bailey, who also is an MJH science teacher, remembers him as being the person who “knew everything.” Even if he didn’t, he would at least pretend like he did.

“He was the guy with all the answers,” Bailey said. “If you need to know something, go find Mr. Moore.”

Bailey talked about him as a father and the life lessons or random facts he would teach her. He always loved teaching and knew there was always something new to be learned.

“Even if he was real stern and kind of rough, … he was the dad who would teach you things,” Bailey said. “(He would say,) ‘Let me show you how to do this.’ Growing up and watching him become a science teacher it’s not surprising”

On Moore’s first day of training at Moorhead, he met science teacher Michelle Fries who remembers him as her best friend in life.

Fries was choked up thinking of their time together and reflecting on her favorite memories.

“(My favorite is) all of them,” she said. “… There are just too many.”

Fries said she will miss “talking about nothing, literally nothing.”

“Then him somehow, magically, mystically, turning it into something,” she said. “Then sometimes it turned into everything. There’s no other way to explain it.”

Fries said he was excellent when it came to turning ordinary object and conversations into meaningful life lesson – all of which he able off as just frivolous knowledge that he possessed.

In addition to his broad knowledge, Moore was known for his sarcastic and humorous personality.

“‘Pretty good for an old fat guy with heart problems and diabetes;’ that was his catchphrase,” Fries said.

Bailey said even once he lost weight, he would jokingly say, “Guess I can’t say fat guy anymore; so, I’m just an old guy with a bad heart and diabetes.”

Moore was laid to rest the weekend of Jan. 20 and is survived by his wife Janice Williamson; daughter Jamie Bailey and husband Ryan of Conroe; sister Peggy McCaslin and husband Tom of Las Vegas, Nevada; daughter-in-law Hillary Moore-Embry and husband Jacob of Klein; grandchildren Krystal Moore, Kelly Moore-Embry, Logan Embry, Liz Huber, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents A.B. and Lovie Moore of Spring; son Kristofer Robin Moore of Anderson, and his brother Jerry Don Moore of Houston.

Both Fries and Bailey hope that the students he had will one day realize that he was all about them. He lived to teach his students and loved every one of them.

“I hope people got past the outward sandpaper part,” Fries said. “He just cared about everybody.”