Leslie Tucker "Taffy" Moore

Leslie Tucker “Taffy” Moore, May 19, 1925 - July 11, 2025

Leslie Tucker Moore was born in Crawfordville, FL, the only daughter of Charles Washington Tucker and Alma Harvey Tucker. In addition to her parents, Alma and Charles Tucker, she was predeceased by two brothers, Braxton Tucker of Tallahassee, FL, and Carlton Tucker of Crawfordville, FL, her daughter, Leslie Anne Moore Renn of Chapel Hill, NC (2024); and two sons, Charles Michael Moore of Thomson, GA (2000); and William Woodhull Moore III of Enosburg Falls, VT (2006).

Taffy was a retired registered nurse, receiving her degree from Grady-Emory Hospital in Atlanta in 1946. She attended Florida State College for Women before she entered nursing school. After graduation, she married Dr. William W. Moore, Jr. (divorced 1980), and lived most of her adult life in Atlanta, with periods in Virginia, New York, Florida, and Alabama. She worked in Atlanta hospitals and King's Daughters Children's Hospital in Portsmouth, VA, doing private patient care, and in outpatient clinics at Grady Hospital in Atlanta. During the polio epidemic in 1946-47, she worked in the Communicable Diseases Center at Grady Hospital, and in 1962, she was part of a team that organized and administered the first oral polio vaccine in Atlanta.

She was a member of Wieuca Road Baptist Church in Atlanta, active in the Missions Program, Director of Baptist Women, a member of the Diaconate, a children's Sunday school teacher, a chairperson for the Missions Committee, and division director of Young Married Adult Sunday School. She worked at Georgia Mental Health Institute as volunteer coordinator for 17 years. While in Atlanta, she was also a division leader for the Georgia Arthritis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, and a coordinator for Red Cross blood drives. She was a cancer survivor.

Taffy moved to Thomson, GA in 1984 to help her son Michael and his family. Then in 2002, she moved to Chapel Hill, NC, became a member of Mount Carmel Baptist Church and volunteered with the Inter-Faith Council for three years. She was a member of Women on Mission, the book club and adult Sunday school at Mount Carmel, and the book club at the Chapel Hill Senior Center.

Taffy is survived by two children: Robert Harvey Moore of Portland, OR; and James Tucker Moore and his wife Susan of Leeds, AL; and a daughter-in-law, Louise Wright, of Enosburg Falls, VT. She is also survived by eight grandsons, one granddaughter, three great-granddaughters and three great-grandsons: Harrison Haynes, his wife Chloe Seymore and their son Roan Haynes of Chapel Hill; Joshua Moore, his wife Debbie Rebosa and their son Charlie of Chapel Hill; Michael Tucker Moore of Boulder, CO; Woody Wright-Moore of Winooski, VT; Walker Wright-Moore, his wife Jessica, their daughter Lyla and son Grady, of Winchester, NH; Luke Wright-Moore of Salt Lake City, UT; Carlton Tucker Moore, his wife Julie, their daughter Winleigh and son Henry of Riverside, IL; Meagan Phillips, her husband William, their son Jack and daughters Lily Rhodes and Hallie Grace of Mountain Brook, AL; and Ernie Renn of Chapel Hill.

Taffy was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and a consistent source of unconditional love. She considered raising a large and loving family as her greatest responsibility and accomplishment. She was happiest when surrounded by her children and their families, was always in touch, and entertained family and friends whenever possible, even cooking a meal for 30 people at her 94th birthday celebration!

Taffy maintained an amazingly positive attitude through loss and illness and was an inspiration to many. During the last several years of her life she was supported and cared for by 4 incredibly patient and capable nurses whose names Taffy would want us to honor: Paula Sinnott; Janequia Evans; Jennifer Evans; and Mayra Hernandez.

A celebration of Taffy’s life will be held at Mount Carmel Baptist Church in Chapel Hill, NC on Tuesday, July 15 at 2:00 pm. Her grandchildren will serve as honorary pallbearers. Her family will receive visitors in the church Fellowship Hall immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Missions Ministry at Mount Carmel Baptist Church.