John Moose

John David Moose passed away on March 1, 2014, at Peachtree Christian Hospice in Duluth, Ga. Memorial services will be at 1 PM on Friday, March 7 at First Lutheran Church in Albemarle, N.C. There will be a visitation at First Lutheran Church from 12 Noon until 1 PM. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the David A. Moose Memorial Scholarship Fund, PO Box 7467, Hickory, NC 28603, contact: Vickie Eckard (828) 328-7336 at Lenoir-Rhyne University or First Lutheran Church of Albemarle. John David Moose was born in Albemarle, N.C. on October 21, 1936. He was the former President of Collins & Aikman Corporation, former Chairman of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Board of Trustees and was inducted into the Lenoir-Rhyne University and Stanly County Sports Halls of Fame for his athletic achievements. John David grew up in Albemarle, N.C. His father, David Augustus Moose, was a prominent businessman and former mayor of Albemarle. Moose loved playing sports but especially the game of football. At Albemarle High School, he was the captain of the football team and received many honors including playing in the Shrine Bowl his senior year. His high school football coach was H.T. “Toby” Webb, who is a legend in North Carolina High School football. Moose and Coach Webb remained close friends. In 2003, John Moose was inducted into the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame. J.D. earned a scholarship to play football for Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, N.C. He received a bachelor’s degree from Lenoir-Rhyne College in 1959. While a student at Lenoir-Rhyne, he lettered in football four years, from 1955 to 1958, and lettered in track and field two years, in 1956 and 1957. While he was on the football team, Lenoir-Rhyne won four North State Conference championships. He served as captain of the football team in 1958, the year the Bears were voted the best team in the state and posted a 9-1 record. He was inducted into the Lenoir-Rhyne Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. He was also a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. In 1961, J.D. met the love of his life, Sandy Rufty. They were married on January 27, 1962. After college, John Moose enlisted in the U.S. Army and proudly served his country. He joined Collins & Aikman Corporation in 1960 and held various sales positions. In 1981, he became vice president of marketing automotive products for the company. Moose was promoted to president of the North American Automotive Group in 1989. From 1994 to 1998, he was president of the company’s Automotive Fabrics International Group. He has held numerous volunteer positions at Lenoir-Rhyne. In addition to serving on the Board of Trustees, he has served on the college’s Board of Visitors and Piedmont Educational Foundation/Bears Club Board. He served on the Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1994 and from 1998 to 2006. He was Chairman of the Board from 2000 to 2006. The Moose children were also Lenoir-Rhyne Bears. Mary Moose Floyd graduated with honors in 1987. David Augustus Moose was an honors student and football player. David was tragically killed in 1984. John and Sandy Moose established an annual football scholarship endowment in memory of their son, David A. Moose, who was captain-elect of the 1984 football team. The head football coach’s office on the Hanley Painter Athletic Floor in the college’s McCrorie Center bears the Moose family name. John David Moose is survived by his wife Sandy Rufty Moose; daughter, Mary Moose Floyd; son-in-law, Michael Anthony (Tony) Floyd; and grandchildren, David Augustus Moose, Catherine Alexandra (Ali) Floyd and Jacob (Jake) Anthony Floyd. The family lives in Duluth, Ga. His sister, Beth Moose Swanner, lives in Albemarle and Linda Moose O’Brien lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C. John and Sandy moved to Georgia in 2005 to be closer to Mary, Tony and their grandchildren. David is now a senior at the University of Georgia. Ali is a freshman at Auburn University. Jake is in the seventh grade at Greater Atlanta Christian School. John David Moose was a devoted husband, loving grandfather and loyal friend to many. He will be missed but his legacy will live on through his family and friends.