EDWARD PAXTON MOORE
went to join the Lord and his beloved wife Carolyn on April 25, 2020. Born to Morris (Doc) and Elizabeth (Betty) Moore on December 12, 1931 in Kansas City, Missouri, Ed was raised in Dallas, Texas. He was a proud graduate of Highland Park High School before going to college at Hendrix College. It was there he met his wife Carolyn and finally convinced her to go out with him (after allegedly breaking the ankle of her previous boyfriend during football practice). He was the football team captain, she was the homecoming queen — it was a match made in heaven and one that continues in heaven now.
Ed began his work career with Humble Oil Company in their management training program. He moved swiftly through that program because of his inability to safely deliver fuel to customers as a truck driver (some story about shutting down Love Field in Dallas by dumping 5000 gallons of jet fuel on the runway). When the corporate ladder would have taken him to South America with a wife and 7 year old son, he was convinced by his parents and in-laws to give up that career for a more stable life in Arkansas.
Moving to Little Rock in 1964, he sold real estate, but by his account, was not very good at it. He then developed an entrepreneurial spirit and opened a truck stop. He was then convinced to help out with the books (nobody could ever beat him on a 10-key adding machine) at Jacques and Suzanne Restaurant. He and his partners (and his wife Carolyn), developed a series of restaurants and restaurateurs that today still define the culinary landscape in Little Rock. They were inducted into the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame in 2017. Ed, however, couldn’t boil an egg. He was, however, the milkshake king of Arkansas, and gave free Purple Cow milkshake coupons to hundreds of kids over the years.
He wouldn’t care if you knew any of the above. What he would want you to know is that he loved his family more than anything in the world. He and his wife were inseparable, thus explaining why he joined her only 40 days after her passing.
No matter how busy he was at work, he never missed a game or any event involving his son or grandsons. He built a swimming pool at his house to encourage his grandsons and their friends to visit. He adored his grandsons, as well as his great-grandson Paxton.
Ed was also a proud member of Little Rock’s recovery community. That part of his life was very important to him and he made many friends there. He sat on the front row at the noon meeting of the Cosmopolitan group for 15 years before dementia caused him to forget people’s names.
He never met a stranger and was the best storyteller around. If you hurt he hurt, but if you laughed, he was right there encouraging more laughter. His family will miss him terribly, but grateful he is reunited with Nani.
He was predeceased by his parents and his wife. He is survived by his brother Bill Moore, son Mike (Jane), grandsons Sean, Jeffrey (Julie), Colin (Elisabeth) and great-grandson, Paxton.
Memorials can be made to Alzheimer’s Arkansas, the Cosmopolitan Group Foundation or Hendrix College. Burial will be at Roselawn Cemetery and a memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Ruebel Funeral Home, ruebelfuneralhome.com.