2010 Persons Of The Year: Jack Moran

January 6, 2011

NorthEscambia.com is naming Persons of the Year for 2010 each day this week. Click here for previous recipients.

Jack Moran of Century has posthumously been named one of our North Escambia Persons of the Year.

Moran served a director of the Arts Council of Northwest Florida, a director of The Century Community Development Partnership and a director of the East Hill Academy for autistic children. He was founder and director of the Arts Committee of North Escambia County Florida, a director of the African-American Historical Society, founder and director of The Teaspoon Foundation and he was an active member of his political party’s County Executive Committee.

He also served as one of the founding organizers and member of the board of the Century Community Development Partnership, Inc., a non-profit organization with a mission that included working toward affordable housing in the rural communities of north Florida following the devastating hurricanes of 2004 and 2005.

Moran loved Century and passionately fought to help make Century a better place to live. He strongly encouraged people to get involved in what was going on in their community and attend town council, school board and other meetings.

As a board member of the Early Learning Coalition which introduced the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to the children of Century and surrounding areas. Over 300 area children have been enrolled in the program and now receive a free book each month until they turn five years old.

Moran also worked to bring “Opera in a Box” to the students at Bratt and Byrneville elementary schools, along with several presentations by Ballet Pensacola.

Moran was vested as “Sir Wallace”, a Knight in the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem (OSJ) by Crown Prince Michael.

Born Wallace David Moran in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, he was a Navy, USMC, Seabee veteran and recipient of the American Spirit Honor Medal. After finishing graduate school, he was hired by his personal mentor, Charles Tandy, chairman of the Tandy Corp.

Later, he owned his own small business, designing and manufacturing children’s furniture and wood toys, and a retail antique business from in Louisiana. He was the father of twins -a boy and a girl – and a step-daughter.

After his son died at the age of 25 from a rare form of cancer, he worked from Northwest Florida as a business development and reorganization consultant, mortgage broker, business broker and fraud examiner.

In his retirement, Moran continued to work with his wife Julie, who is managing partner of Century Pharmacy, L.L.C.

Moran passed away July 20, 2010. He was 68.

Pictured: Jack Moran and his wife Julie.

Comments

3 Responses to “2010 Persons Of The Year: Jack Moran”

  1. Julie Booth-Moran on January 6th, 2011 10:39 pm

    Thank you, Northescambia for such an honor and recognition for my husband. I know he would be as humbled as I am.

    Having experienced the loss of someone so close as Jack and I were it has made me stop and think ” What am I doing with what I’ve got”? When our time is done on this earth, one thing that is important is -did I make a difference and am I using the talents & gifts that God gave me, as God would have me do? Being able to make a difference in our community, making a difference in someone’s life, whatever God has in His plan…Jack taught me by example of how important it is to take time to make a difference. I’m thankful to Jack for giving of himself so unselfishly, and for
    all he did for so many, and for his efforts to make our community a better place.

  2. Kerry Moran Deason on January 6th, 2011 6:51 pm

    Way to go dad!!! Love you and miss you! I know you would be sooooo proud!! How cool is this??????

  3. Stacie Nelson on January 6th, 2011 6:11 pm

    You could not have chosen a more wonderful, giving, selfless, kind and loving man than Jack Moran. Jack and his beautiful wife Julie are as close to Saints on Earth as we will ever get. My son Joshua, who is Autistic was in a shell and lonely before Jack and Julie came into our lives. Before Jack’s untimely death last year, he continued to lift Joshua up by admiring his art and giving Joshua words of encouragement daily. Some days, Joshua would wake and want to know if “Mr. Jack” sent him an email. After Jack’s diagnosis, he continued to lift Joshua up with words of love and encouragement all the while dealing with his terminal illness. In Jack’s darkest hours he was only thinking of others, especially those with Special Needs. This does not take away from how much he loved his beautiful wife Julie who has become my closest friend and confidant! Julie stepped in to carry on the work Jack began so many years ago. Not a day has gone by that Joshua and I do not think of our dear friend W.D Jack Moran. It comforts me to be able to call or write Julie for an uplifting message, not only for Joshua but also for me. There are very few people who can say they have made a difference in the life of a child with special needs and even less can say they have changed a child’s life for the better. Jack and Julie Moran are two of those select few. If I may quote from Joshua a few days following Jack’s death; “Mama, Mr. Jack didn’t die because I have him in my art and love never dies”. Thank you for choosing Jack for this wonderful award! Through Julie, Jack lives on and I know he is sitting in Heaven with a smile on his face and a humble tear in his eye. That was Jack, a man who lived his life serving those who needed him and loving everyone unconditionally.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Features, News