Celebration of Life Planned for Rev. Lamar L. Moore, Community Leader and Advocate for Seniors
A celebration of life for Rev. Lamar Luther Moore, a longtime Lexington pastor and a key figure in the creation of Davidson County Senior Services, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 10, at Center Hill Baptist Church. The service will be officiated by the Rev. Sandy Young and the Rev. Brian Alexander.
Rev. Moore, 91, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at the Hinkle Hospice House.
Born on March 30, 1934, in Cobbtown, Georgia, Rev. Moore was the 11th of 16 children born to Luther and Leila Moore. He grew up working on his family’s tobacco farm and later attended Mercer University, where he played football and studied agriculture. On June 9, 1956, he married Joyce Willis, and together they raised three daughters.
Rev. Moore began his professional life as an agriculture teacher in Sampson County, North Carolina, teaching for five years and working on shrimp boats in Davis, NC, during the summers. During this time, he felt called to ministry and attended Southern Seminary, eventually becoming a Baptist minister.
He began his pastoral career at Turnpike Baptist Church in McRae, Georgia, before moving to Lexington, where he served Center Hill Baptist Church for more than 30 years. In 2002, he was named Pastor Emeritus.
Following the death of his first wife, Joyce, in 1981, he married Louise Young Anderson in May 1983.
Beyond the pulpit, Rev. Moore was widely recognized for his service to the community. He was instrumental in forming what is now Davidson County Senior Services, served as chairman of both the Board of Health and the Board of Davidson County Senior Services, and represented the county for many years in the North Carolina Senior Legislature in Raleigh. His lifelong commitment to service earned him numerous honors, including induction into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
He was preceded in death by his parents; 13 siblings; his first wife, Joyce; his oldest daughter, Amy Shapiro; and his stepson, Dale Anderson.
He is survived by his wife, Louise Moore; daughters Donna (Barry) Lemons and Cindy Moore; stepdaughter Carol (Micky) Conrad; grandchildren Joshua (Carson) Lemons and Caroline (Ellie) Lemons; step-grandchildren Brandon (Brandy) Conrad, Kara (Norris) Feeney, and Elisa (Ross) Sommer; great-grandchildren Roseila Sommer, Conrad Sommer, Anderson Conrad, Everett Feeney, and an expected great-grandchild, baby Lemons; his sister Naomi Molcan of Florida; and his brother Roger (Colette) Moore of Georgia.
The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall. Burial will take place at a later date beside his late wife, Joyce, in Davis, North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Rev. Lamar Moore Memorial Fund at Center Hill Baptist Church, 3759 NC Hwy 8, Lexington, NC 27292, or to Davidson County Senior Services, 555-B W. Center Street Extension, Lexington, NC 27295.
