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Remembering Woody Moore

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Woodrow Moore. // Photo courtesy of
Garret Shelsta

Friends and family gathered at a memorial service held at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 23, at Norway Hall to remember the life of Western junior Woodrow Moore.

Moore, 21, died Tuesday morning, April 21. The cause of death was medical in nature, though the Whatcom County medical examiner did not release the details of his death.

Around 400 people attended the memorial to share their favorite memories of him and his passion for his faith.

Moore was a prominent member of the church community Ekklesia in Bellingham. Logan Meyers, a good friend of Moore’s and a Western senior, met Moore at a church service two and a half years ago when Moore was a freshman.

Meyers described Moore as one the fundamental leaders at Ekklesia due to his all-inclusive nature.

“Woody was the best picture of someone who would always put others before himself,” Meyers said. “He walked with such humility that when you talked with him you couldn’t help but feel comforted and loved.”

Moore grew up in Eatonville, Washington, friend and Western junior Marcus Micheles said. They met playing soccer, one of Moore’s favorite sports, when they were 10 years old.

Micheles described Moore’s love to do all things outdoors, whether it was fishing, kayaking or a spontaneous hike to Teddy Bear Cove.

“He loved people regardless of who they were. He was someone who loved unconditionally,” Micheles said.

Micheles remembered a time last quarter when the two of them were downtown, and a homeless man told Moore he never knew what the time was. Moore’s response was to give him his own watch right off his wrist.

“He gave away three or four watches that way last quarter,” Micheles laughed.

Wesley Schlomer, another one of Moore’s friends and a Western junior, met Moore in Mathes freshman year, and said one of things he is missing the most about Moore is his humor.

“His humor was so clean and uplifting,” Schlomer said. “He could make a room light up. I don’t know anybody else who could do that like he did.”

Garret Shelsta, the pastor at Ekklesia, knew Moore well and described his ability to interact with everyone he met like a best friend.

“Woody was one of the centers of joy in this community,” Shelsta said. “He was an example to everyone in the community, and he will be missed significantly.”

The Western Counseling Center is available to provide support and communicate with students who knew Moore.


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