Sheppard Neal Moore: Work with EPA, Air Force led to global travel
For more than a quarter century, Shep Moore pursued two careers simultaneously -- one civilian and one military.
As a Southeast administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, he helped safeguard America's natural resources. As a lieutenant colonel commanding an Air Force Reserve squadron at Dobbins Air Force Base, he helped safeguard America, period.
Mr. Moore was a leader in implementing the National Environmental Policy Act, which became law in 1969, said Dinah Bear of Washington, former general counsel for the Council on Environmental Quality. That law requires federal agencies to do environmental impact studies and public reviews of all their undertakings -- whether allowing grazing or mineral exploration on public lands, building roads or expanding airports.
"Shep was the first person I know to bring federal personnel -- both from agencies that do development work and those that protect the environment -- together in workshops to educate them on the law. His approach was truly groundbreaking," Ms. Bear said.
"Shep's conferences drew influential people from all over the country to Atlanta," said Ray Clark of Birmingham, former associate director of the Council on Environmental Quality. "Those meetings were very helpful in professionalizing environmental protection within the federal government."
As a commander of the 79th Mobile Aerial Port Squadron at Dobbins, Mr. Moore was an old-school type who expected the best from his personnel, said his predecessor, retired Col. Lester Irwin of Franklin, Tenn. "It was our job, mine and Shep's, to see to it that the squadron airlifted supplies swiftly to emergency situations, whether they involved combat or a natural disaster," he said.
Sheppard Neal Moore, 77, of Kennesaw died March 26 of lymphoma at Emory University Hospital. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Winship Cancer Center Leukemia Fund Program, 1762 Clifton Road, Plaza 1000, Atlanta, GA 30322. Cremation Society of the South, Marietta, is in charge of arrangements.
Born and reared in North Carolina and educated at North Carolina State University, Mr. Moore felt a powerful attachment to his home state's mountains and to Wolfpack sports. He returned often to savor both.
"Dad would take me and my brother [Neal, who died in 1992] on hikes in the Pisgah National Forest," said his daughter, Lisa Moore of Atlanta. "Dad had an amazing knowledge of plants and wildlife, and he shared it with us."
Mr. Moore traveled to numerous exotic locales on EPA business and Air Force assignments. Once, while traveling up the Amazon River, he had an unexpected encounter with a group of headhunters. Rather than panicking, his daughter said, he sat down with them and shared a Coca-Cola. In response, they gave him a beautiful, hand-carved blowgun, which he proudly displayed for years in his home office.
Other survivors include his wife, Sarah Moore; a sister, Sarah Grant, and two brothers, John Moore and Elwood Moore, all of New Bern, N.C.; and three grandchildren.
