Person Page 896

Legendary King of Sweden.

Legendary King of Sweden/Uppsala.

Legendary King of Sweden.

Obituary:
Lamar Moody, 86, of Titusville, Florida, passed away on February 28, 2016.

He was born on July 21, 1929 in DeFuniak Springs, Florida to the late Ola Beasley Moody and the late William A Moody. At age five, his family moved to Ponce de Leon. At Ponce de Leon High School, Lamar was the valedictorian of his senior class, editor-in-chief of the yearbook, played basketball, and was a trombonist in the band. He was class president for two years, band president for two years, and voted most likely to succeed. Even though he was a very poor country boy, who grew up with no electricity or running water, his intelligence and ambition were evident to his parents and teachers. Following his high school graduation, his mother packed up his trunk and put him on a bus to Gainesville to become a student at the University of Florida. He lived in a boarding house and began earning money by typing and proofreading papers for his classmates. Seeing his potential, several professors served as his mentors. Through hard work and perseverance, Lamar earned four degrees from the University of Florida including Bachelors, Masters, Doctorate, and Specialist degrees in Education and Educational Leadership. He held Principal, Assistant Principal, and teaching positions in Green Cove Springs, Prosperity, Westville, and Bonifay, Florida.

Lamar was a professor in the Educational Leadership Department at the University of Southern Mississippi from 1960-1966, where he met his future wife, Hattiesburg native, Ruth Evelyn Austin. They married in April of 1963. After remaining in Hattiesburg for the next three years, and welcoming their daughter, Linda, they moved to Boca Raton, Florida where Lamar opened the Educational Leadership program at Florida Atlantic University. In 1968, the family moved to Starkville, Mississippi where Lamar started and was the head of the Educational Leadership department at Mississippi State University where he remained for the rest of his career until his retirement in 1991. He was a frequent educational consultant for numerous school systems and a published author. His excellent leadership in teaching led to many outstanding teachers, principals, superintendents, and college and university presidents all over our country.

The Moody home was always open to family, friends, and numerous “adopted” students from MSU, The Wesley Foundation, & Aldersgate United Methodist church. Lamar had a special way with people of all ages and all walks of life. He was kind, thoughtful, and friendly to everyone. Lamar was an expert on many types of plants and flowers. He spent much time working in the yard at the family home in Starkville. He won several “Yard of the Month” awards through the years. He was a frequent speaker at local garden clubs and enjoyed growing plants in his greenhouse that normally would not grow in the area. He was always sharing his plants with others. He loved his pets very much with a soft spot for his dachshunds - Sig and Snoopy. He enjoyed frequent trips to the MS Gulf Coast, where he would bring home coolers full of fresh shrimp and new plants. He enjoyed cooking, and his fruit salad, gumbo, potato salad, and homemade ice cream were frequently requested!

After moving to Titusville in 2002 to be closer to their daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, he enjoyed many family activities and events, including a 50th wedding anniversary celebration in April 2013.

Lamar is survived by his daughter, Linda Moody Dearborn, son-in-law Lance Dearborn, granddaughter, Lindsey Dearborn, of Mims, FL, his niece Verna Moody Barley, of Ponce de Leon, FL, his niece, Anita Moody Schultz, of DeFuniak Springs, FL, and his nephew, Ralph Moody Jr. of Ponce de Leon, FL. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Austin Moody (Ruthlyn), his parents, William A. Moody and Ola Beasley Moody, and his brother, Ralph Moody.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at First United Methodist Church Titusville on Saturday, March 12, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. followed by a reception in the fellowship hall.

Memorials can be made to the Wesley Foundation at Mississippi State University P.O. Box MY MSU, MS 39762.

Student at the U of Mississippi in 1910; Draft Registration 6/15/1918 - classified 1A; Served from 1918-1919 WWI, Private.