Lovell S. Moore, 95, of Ponce de Leon, Florida, passed away at home on July 17, 2025, peacefully and surrounded by the people who loved him most.
Lovell was born on September 12, 1929, in Ponce de Leon to George Moore and Eunice Moore (née Farrior). He became deaf as a young child and attended school at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, where he also learned about carpentry.
Lovell faced more challenges than most. Already profoundly deaf as a young child, he later lost his eyesight as a young man and he could have chosen a quieter, more withdrawn life.
But that simply wasn’t who he was.
He refused to let any obstacle keep him from the things he loved: fishing the rivers and creeks he knew by heart, working with wood until it took the shape of something useful and beautiful, tending to his crops with care and patience, and, most of all, loving his family with unwavering loyalty and quiet pride.
On a summer day in July of 1956, Lovell married Juanita, the love of his life and his steady companion for 60 years. Their bond was unshakeable. Together, they raised two daughters, Wanda and Lisa, who brought him endless joy. After Juanita’s passing in 2016, Lovell never took off his wedding band. It was a simple, powerful tribute to a love that never faded.
Lovell worked early on at Mom & Dad’s Restaurant in DeFuniak Springs before traveling to Washington, D.C. and Orlando to attend trade schools. He learned the art of typesetting and he used this skill to work at The DeFuniak Herald, where his attention to detail and dedication earned the respect of all who knew him. He took pride in honest work and doing things the right way the first time. Unfortunately, his vision loss cut his career short in the late 1960s.
He didn’t need a spotlight to make a lasting impression. Lovell lived quietly but with deep impact. His strength came not from loud words, but from steady hands, long hours, and the kind of love you could feel just by sitting next to him on the porch. His was the kind of presence that didn’t have to announce itself. It just made you feel safe, seen, and loved. He lived a long, full life in the very town where it all began, never straying far from his roots, his values, or the people he held dear.
He is survived by his children, Wanda Grenagle (Richard) and Lisa Moore, his grandson, River, and a host of nieces and nephews, all of whom carry pieces of his spirit forward. He lives on in the garden soil he tilled, the tackle boxes he packed with care to fish his favorite waterways, and the hearts of those who were lucky enough to call him Dad, Grandpa, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, or friend.
He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Juanita; his parents, George and Eunice; and his nine brothers and sisters: J.D. Moore (Grace), Georgia J. Moore, Stella Moore, Sarah Moore (Frank), Mary McGuire (Jack), Ora Rogers (Buck), Jesse Moore (Peggy), Loreen Moore, and Aileen Calfee (Conrad).
Though he has left this world, Lovell’s legacy remains in the small, quiet moments: the smell of fresh-cut wood, the ripple of water at dawn, the gentle rustle of a tomato plant in the breeze. His was a life not just lived, but deeply felt.
He will be missed beyond words and remembered beyond measure.
The family of Lovell Moore would like to express its most sincere appreciation to the Emerald Coast Council on Aging (formerly Walton Okaloosa Council on Aging) and their staff for all they did to help him in the last chapter of his life, to remain at home while being surrounded by those who loved him deeply.
