A one year ago today, the world lost a special person, Moe Moran. He was one of best people I’ve ever known, and he taught me much about life and leadership. He was my father and my friend, and I had the privilege to offer our family’s tribute at his funeral. Since then, many of people asked me to send them a copy of my remarks, and others have encouraged me to post them here. I hope learning a bit about this great, yet unsung leader will help you become a better one yourself.
Thank you for indulging me in a tribute to someone I love.
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Our Tribute to Moe Moran
Moe! That simple name for a great and wonderful man. Not great in the sense of titles or station or wealth. He never cared about any of that. Moe’s greatness was much deeper. His greatness reflected an inner light that drew people to him and made them love him. He was the real deal.
He was Moe to everyone. Those who didn’t know him would ask why we all called him Moe. Not Dad or Granddad, or Mr. Moran, or Commander Moran. The question implied an accusation of disrespect. Soon enough they too would be calling him Moe. He had that effect on people, and that was just who he always was.
Of course, there was that time when he was in grade school when his mother forced him to use the name Maurice. They had moved uptown from South Philly to West Philly, and Grandmom thought Moe didn’t fit their new community. Needless to say that the other kids from the neighborhood didn’t share Hettie’s opinion of the name Maurice. Add to it the bowtie she insisted he wear to school, and we are lucky Moe survived the second grade. Fortunately, she abandoned her efforts to rebrand Moe.
I promised that I would not stand up here and tell a lot stories about Moe or extol all of his virtues. That can wait until we get to the party. I expect to tell and hear quite a few.
What I do want to talk about are the qualities that best defined our Moe. Those things that we all knew and loved about him. The second reading today captures much of who Moe was. His life was a testament to Faith, Hope, and Love. Those three qualities go a long way to describing him, but there is one that is missing…Humility.
Moe was the essence of humility. He never thought of himself as something out of the ordinary. Moe was so humble that he never thought of himself at all. Humility was simply a part of who he was. It was only during his illness that we came to understand its depth and essence. It is easy to focus on the devastating effects of cancer, but there is one gift that cancer gives. Moe’s cancer gave us the time and sense of urgency to tell him things that we had always wanted him to know. Whenever we would tell him what we admired about him, he would respond, “I’m nothing special.” He just assumed most people lived as he did. His humility was a product of doing extraordinary things that he considered ordinary. It came from his Faith, his Hope and his Love. He never felt special, because these three came so naturally to him.
Faith…Moe was one of the most faith-filled people anyone ever knew. His belief in God was deeply personal. At the same time, he shared it with all. He lived his faith. He would have been a great priest. I’m not sure he could have handled that whole celibacy thing, but otherwise he would have been great. He lived his faith through his generosity, grace and love. He saw faith as a journey. Our faith is stronger because of Moe’s.
Hope. Moe was always hopeful. He never worried about things. He never suffered from insomnia. He said it was a sign of a clean conscience. That’s true, but it also reflected his deep and abiding hope. His hope and belief was evident in how he greeted us or said farewell. He would welcome us with genuine affection with “How are you brother?” or “What’s up shipmate.” He never ended a conversation without an “I love you.” or a “God bless you.” These were far more than words or filler. They were Moe’s hope for us. Another sign of Moe’s hopefulness was his presence. He enjoyed himself at whatever he was doing. He was content. He never thought about what was next.
Love, and the greatest of these is love. And oh how Moe loved. He loved life. He loved all of us. He loved all of the many roles he played. Father, son, brother, friend, Naval officer, executive, mentor, advisor, singer, comedian, husband…the list goes on. Whatever he did, Moe was happy.
He loved his family and friends. No one ever had to wonder about Moe’s love. He showed it to us constantly. He had the gift to make us happy. He never tried…it was pure and natural. His jokes and stories would keep us laughing no matter how many times we heard them. Sometimes all he had to say was the punch line, and he would have us rolling on the floor.
He loved music, and man could he sing. His beautiful tenor was like a blessing. It was his gift. I’m sure the Holy Family Choir isn’t quite the same without him.
Moe loved the Navy. He was thankful for the education and opportunities the Navy gave, but that was only the beginning. He was proud to serve his country. He felt privileged to be a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. His shipmates and classmates were among his dearest friends. He saw leadership as a privilege and he led with humility. He loved the sea and being a sailor.
Moe loved this church, and he helped build it. Holy Family was an integral part of his life. He generously gave of his talents to every ministry.
Moe loved to work. Nothing would make him happier than building something. Especially when he was helping someone else. Whether it was Habitat for Humanity or flying off to California to help Laura and Leslie build a room or deck, he couldn’t wait to get started.
And then there is the one that Moe loved most, Mom. You were truly his beloved wife, and there was nothing he wouldn’t do to make you happy. From the first time you met, he loved you. He even told so that night. “Bo…My name is Moe. I’ve been looking my whole life for a girl named Bo to marry.” Your love affair lasted for 49 long years. I know he made you happy, and you made his life a dream.
Moe, we will all miss your smiling face. We know you are still with us, but we still miss you. I hope you finally know how special you are.
