Harold Moorman

Harold N. “Hal” Moorman, Col. USA ret., died peacefully at Alexian Village, Signal Mountain, Tenn., on Sept. 30, 2017. He was two days shy of his 102nd birthday. Hal was born on Oct. 2, 1915, the second of three sons, to Frank and Laura Naomi (Nelson) Moorman at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where his father was a student at the U.S. Army Signal School. Following his graduation from Central High School in Washington D.C., and a post-graduate year at the Columbian Preparatory School while he waited for a Presidential appointment to the United States Military Academy, Hal entered West Point, from which he graduated and was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in June 1938. He served thereafter as an Infantry officer until his retirement at the rank of Colonel in 1964. Shortly after he entered West Point, Hal met the love of his life, Nancy-Lydia Ansell of Washington D.C. The two teenagers quickly fell in love, became engaged, wed upon their college graduations, and carried their youthful romance through a marriage of almost 74 years until Nancy’s death in 2012. He was a loving and attentive husband and a proud father to his and Nancy’s three children. In a happy and fulfilling life together, one great sorrow in Hal and Nancy’s life was the loss of a son, Douglas Crook, in infancy. Blessed throughout his career with assignments well suited to his abilities and personality, Hal taught French at West Point and headed the Army ROTC department as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Dartmouth College. He commanded an Infantry platoon at Ft. Benning, Georgia, a battalion in occupied Japan, and a battle group at Ft. Sill, Okla. In addition, he served as military adviser in Formosa and South Vietnam and as a staff officer at the Pentagon with G3 (Operations) and later the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense. He attended the Armed Forces Staff College and the Canadian National Defence College. In addition to earning his BA at West Point, he was awarded Master of Arts degrees in French at Laval University and educational psychology at Dartmouth College. Hal cut his military career short to accept an offer from Dartmouth College to join its administration in a new office formed to support foreign students, student placement, and graduate counseling. There followed 10 happy and productive years at the college and many more as a retiree in the surrounding Hanover, N.H., community. The son of a noted WWI cryptographer, Hal saw the world around him as material to be ordered through mathematics, rational analysis, and systematic problem-solving. His upbringing also imbued him with a deep sense of humility and service to his fellow human beings. Thus, he took equally keen pleasure in leading and caring for his men and structuring advice for Pentagon decision-making; in teaching and advising college students and in mastering foreign languages and computer programming; and, finally, in exploring the intricacies of small motor repair, locksmithing, home DIY projects, and packing the car to the gills for his and Nancy’s long trips to visit their children and many friends up and down the East Coast. His gentle manner, disciplined habits, keen intelligence, and practical bent earned him the respect and admiration of the men of his commands and endeared him to friends and colleagues in his varied professional and civic roles. Until shortly before his death, he worshipped at the All Saints Anglican Catholic Church in Soddy Daisy, Tenn., where he was for many years a committed member of the vestry. Hal is survived by his three children, Anne Reeves, of Wilbur-by-the-Sea, Florida, Hunter Moorman, of West Tisbury, Mass., and Susan Southworth, of Enfield, N.H., and their loving spouses; and by many grand and great-grandchildren, nephews and nieces, and cousins, in whom he took great pride. Loving husband and father, proud soldier, admired college administrator, and generous citizen and civic volunteer, Hal Moorman is remembered for performing his duty to his country, serving his community and fellow beings, cherishing and safeguarding his family, and standing as a model of probity, humility, and compassion before all. A requiem mass will be held in the Alexian Village Chapel on Oct. 28, at 2 p.m. followed by a celebration of life reception in the Alexian Village Gold Room 4 to 6 p.m. Arrangements by Lane Funeral Home, Ashland Terrace, 877-3524, www.lanefh.com.