Eileen L. Moore

Eileen L. Moore, 93, of Buchanan, passed away on Monday, April 20, 2020 at Brentwood at Niles, with her family by her side. A celebration of life gathering will be held at a later date due to current events. Memorial contributions may be made to Faith United Methodist Church, Buchanan or Fernwood Botanical Gardens, Niles. Arrangements have been entrusted to Swem Chapel, Buchanan. Those wishing to send a condolence online may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com. Eileen was born on September 7, 1926 to Richard and Irene (Spencer) Fry in Bertrand, MI. Her family moved to South Bend, IN where she attended Greene Twp. School and met Richard (Dick) Moore of South Bend. They graduated from Greene in 1944 and were married on March 17, 1945. After spending the first few months of their marriage in Texas and Colorado where Dick was stationed in the Army Air Corps, they returned to South Bend and began to build a home on 10 acres southwest of town. Their four children were born while they completed the house. Eileen was a stay-at-home mom, raising the children, cooking and cleaning. She enjoyed gardening and canning and sewing and worked with Dick roofing, painting, and staining woodwork for the new house. On weekends they enjoyed square dancing and taking part in the various activities in their church, Sumption Prairie Methodist. Eileen and Dick were both active youth leaders in the church for MYF, Bible School and Sunday School and Eileen was a den mother in the local Cub Scout pack. You could always find her in the kitchen at turkey suppers or in the churches food tent at the 4-H fair. In the 1960's she also held part-time jobs at J.C. Penney and the National Bank of South Bend. Eileen's Christian faith was always important to her and she did her best to instill those values in her family. She and Dick always became active members in the local Methodist church wherever they lived. In 1970 Eileen and Dick bought a summer resort on Lake Bruce near Kewanna, IN that they renamed Hoosier Hideaway. The resort consisted of a 70 unit mobile home park, restaurant with pinball arcade, rental cottages, bait shop and boat livery. Eileen ran the restaurant, keeping their own house on the property, and cleaning the rental cottages as vacationers came and went. In keeping with their faith, Eileen and Dick held outdoor church services overlooking the lake every Sunday in the summer. After 16 successful years at Hoosier Hideaway, Dick and Eileen sold the resort and retired to 30 wooded acres on Galien-Buchanan Road in Buchanan, MI. There, Eileen continued her love of the outdoors, gardening, and providing a sanctuary for the critters and birds as well as tending to their home and her husband. She loved reading and reciting poetry, quilting, and tending her flower beds. Eileen enjoyed making apple cider and maple syrup with her family and she especially loved her grandchildren and doing puzzles and board games with them. She also volunteered at Pear's Mill in Buchanan and remained active at Faith UMC. In recent months declining health made it necessary for Eileen and Dick to become residents of Brentwood of Niles where they have been well taken care of. In March, 2020 they celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. We trust that because of her lifelong love and devotion to both her family and her Saviour that Eileen's spirit is now welcomed into the Kingdom of Heaven. Eileen is survived by her husband, Richard; children, Gary (Sandy) Moore, Gail Moody, Sandi (Brian) Stalker and Mark (Sue) Moore; grandchildren, Eryn Moore, Amy (Greg) Yarbrough, Eric (Jackie) Moody, Michele (Mike) McRae, Rachel (Kevin) Yurk and Colleen (Steve) VanDam; great-grandchildren, Collin Cronin, Emily Moody, Ryan Moody, Julia Moody, Mackenzie McRae, Megan McRae, Oliver Yurk, Adelynn Yurk and Eloise Yurk. Along with her parents she was preceded in death by her son-in-law, Richard Moody; grandson, Michael Moore and sister, Patricia Nemeth.