In Memory of Dear Jerry

I just heard the news tonight of the death of an incredibly dear man named Jerry Moe, a good friend of mine from the Weston Noble Alumni Choir.  A few weeks ago,  Jerry called me to let me know that he had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and given no more than six months to live.  I was heartbroken to hear the news,  but also incredibly touched that he had thought to reach out to me to let me know – and very grateful that I was given the chance to tell him that I loved him. In his honor and in his memory,  I want to share with you a blog I wrote about him back in 2013 ….  which I titled “49-er”   – because Pastor Moe was a 1949 Luther College graduate.   I’m also sharing some of my favorite photos of Jerry from the several summers that we sang together in the WNAC.   I will always be grateful that I got to know and become friends with this amazing and beautiful man.

************************************************************************************************

One of the coolest things about the Weston Noble Alumni Choir is that (unlike the typical class reunion) you are side by side with alumni from across the generations.  I could see that being a little bit discomfiting to some people who prefer to connect with people of their own age, with whom they have some sort of shared history.  And that’s tremendously fun, of course.  But so is the chance to rub elbows with people whose own Luther experience transpired decades before or after your own.  There is so much to learn from that kind of gathering, and there is a unique sort of fun to be had.

It only occurs to me now, as I’m sitting here reflecting on the week,  that for the first two days of rehearsal I was seated between the youngest member of the group – Lukas Hoffland, class of 2001   – and the oldest member of the group –  Rev. Jerry Moe, class of 1949.  Think of it:  Pastor Moe graduated from Luther thirty years before Lucas was even born! That’s a lot of Luther history spanned by these two guys, with me floating around somewhere in the middle, drinking in all that they had to share.  It was great fun.

I wanted to say a word more about Pastor Jerry Moe,  an absolute gem of a man – the kind of guy where you meet him and think to yourself “if only it were possible to clone this man so there could be a little more sweetness and joy in the world.”   He is such a dear soul, and in many ways he is as much the heart and soul of this group as Mr. Noble or any of the group’s organizers.  In fact,  he is the only singer in the Alumni Choir whose time in the Nordic Choir actually pre-dates Mr. Noble’s.  Pastor Moe is a charter member of Nordic, having sung under its founder, Dr. Sigvard Steen, before a young Luther grad by the name of Weston Noble took over for the start of what would be 57 years of distinguished leadership.  Imagine being there for the beginning of all that!  Pastor Moe’s pastoral career included a stint as a Naval chaplain, graduate work in Scotland, directorship of a school in England, and parish ministry in several different congregations back here in America.  Much loved wherever his ministry has taken him,  he is also a much loved member of the alumni choir.  In fact, the sparkle in his eyes and his unfailing good cheer earned him the Cuddly Award at the choir’s banquet Wednesday night …  and in his delightful acceptance speech, he expressed some concern at how he was going to explain to his lovely wife back home how he came to be given such an award!

(And I wish you could have heard his wonderful performance Tuesday night at the Follies, when he sang two songs for us, including “Friendship.”  The guy really knows how to sell a song, and although he’s in his mid 80’s, his voice is remarkably well preserved.  And the charm with which he sings is absolutely irresistible.)

What made his presence this year especially treasurable is the fact that he very nearly didn’t come because of a nasty sciatica attack that made it very hard for him to walk or stand for any length of time.  But he takes his status as a charter member of Nordic Choir very seriously and decided that he had to join us once again.   There were long stretches of time when the basses were asked to stand in rehearsal and Pastor Moe would hang in there as long as he could before he would finally have to sit down (always whispering a quiet apology to me.)  And when we had our first rehearsal on the risers in the CFL (the site of our concert), it looked all but certain that Pastor Moe was going to have to sing the entire concert sitting on a stool, just off to the side of the risers.  It was more comfortable than standing but Pastor Moe found it so hard to hear his fellow basses, and just didn’t feel like he was part of the choir.  So for the actual concert, he was bound and determined to stand on the risers with the rest of us …  and by george, that’s exactly what he did!  Courageously, he managed to stand for the entire concert and afterwards said that he felt better than he had all week.  And afterwards, he was greeted by the fantastic sight of his son and grandson who drove up from central Illinois to surprise him,  and at the reception afterwards,  Pastor Moe showed no signs of wilting. In fact, he seemed to gain energy with each passing minute.   If there was ever living proof of the invigorating benefit of singing,  Pastor Moe is it.

As I look back on my participation in the Alumni Choir, I am most thankful for the chance to make music once again with the incomparable Weston Noble.  But the longer I think about it, the more I realize that I am just as thankful for the new friends I have made …  and at the top of that long and impressive list is my colleague and friend, Jerry Moe.

**************************************************************************************************

Here are a few more photos I took of Jerry.  This first one is from a day when he asked if I would mind giving a quick listen to a couple of his favorite CDs, which he thought I might enjoy.  He played several things for me, including excerpts from a couple of recordings from one of his favorite singers,  Kathleen Jenkins.  This photo so perfectly captures the utter joy with which Jerry sat there as that soprano’s lovely voice filled the air.

This photo is from a WNAC rehearsal- a moment when Weston called Jerry up front to share a story.  Notice the special look of affection on Weston’s face.  These two obviously had a very tender-hearted bond with one another.

This photo is from the reception following one of our WNAC concerts.   Jerry was so delighted that some of his family came – including his son and grandson.   Jerry was especially delighted to have the chance to introduce them to Weston.  Family meant the world to Jerry.

This photo is from the night of the very last WNAC concert.   Jerry was one of the people who stood and spoke a few words.   I loved his quiet, sincere eloquence.

This past summer,  I had the chance to introduce Jerry to my lovely niece Aidan, who is a student at Luther.  She ended up recording an interview with Jerry, looking back on his time at Luther and in Nordic.  (I hope she’ll be able to share that interview with Jerry’s family at some point.)  The two of them really took a liking to each other,  and I love this shot of them as she escorts him from the CFL to the Union.

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.  And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying …. for the former things are passed away.  Behold, I make all things new.”