Moore, Frank Harold Jr. 1932 - 2025

MOORE, FOOTE, KING, MINER, HAGEMAN, JESKE, KUPER, MCKNULTY, LENTZKOW, KIMBALL, HARRIS, VESSELS, PLESHEK

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 3/7/2025 at 10:30:52

Frank H. Moore Jr., age 92, of Cresco, Iowa, died on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Evans Senior Living Community in Cresco.

A visitation will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at the Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home, and will continue for one hour prior to the service on Monday. Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, March 10, with military rites held outside of the funeral home.

Frank Harold Moore Jr. was born on the family farm near Hazleton, Iowa, on August 30, 1932, to Ethel (Foote) and Frank H. Moore Sr. He was the fourth child with all sisters for siblings. In his younger years, Frank was the catcher for baseball and played basketball in high school. While in 4-H, he won a State Demonstration on conservation that won him a trip to Chicago, IL, and he presented it at the Iowa State Fair. He graduated in 1950 and then attended Iowa State College for the Farm Management program. He was then employed by Farm Service and did construction and various farm hand jobs.

He married Janice Lorraine King on August 31, 1952, prior to being drafted into the United States Army. He served in Korea and was honorably discharged at the rank of Corporal. Frank and Jan had four children: Frank L “Butch”, Michael, and twin daughters Debra and Diane. In their early years, they lived near Hampton, Rockford, Charles City, Oelwein, West Union, Fredericksburg, and finally Cresco in 1969. Together they had a Grade A Dairy herd along with hogs until purchasing the farm near Cresco. Frank then began his long love of raising purebred Duroc and Yorkshire hogs into his nineties. The operation’s name changed to “Moore and Moore” purebred hogs when his oldest son moved home from college. Frank accomplished his high school goal by winning the champion boar and gilt at the National Cattle Congress 24 years after graduation. Moore and Moore improved their herds, showing all over at test stations, the National Duroc Congress, Iowa and Minnesota State Fairs, as well as local shows and fairs; winning many ribbons, plaques, and awards. Moore and Moore were one of the first breeders to send pigs to China. They also sent hogs to Taiwan, South America, Japan, and throughout many states in the U.S. Frank and son Butch won the Iowa Conservation Farm of The Year Award in 1988, and with his wife was inducted in the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame. They were Grand Marshalls for the Howard Co. Ag Fest (2005). Frank was active in many organizations including Farm Bureau and Board member (50 yrs.), Howard County Fair Board (26 yrs.), Farm Service Board (32 yrs.), 4-H Leader (25 yrs.), Pork Producers and Board member (40+ yrs.), Crop Insurance Adjuster (22 yrs.), Cresco American Legion, the VFW, and a member of the United Methodist Church.

Frank liked to travel (preferably by car stopping at ALL the historical locations), annual trips with Jan to Arizona, reading, playing cards, bingo, breakfast with his buddies or visiting casinos. He enjoyed meeting the numerous people along his journey.

He was a family man and spending time with his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids was a blessing. Frank is survived by his children Frank (Von) Cresco, IA, Mike (Linda) Waterloo, IA, Debra Jeske (widowed), New Providence, IA, and Diane (Mike) Miner Lime Springs, IA. Six grandchildren: Matthew Miner, Michael (Kara) Miner, Beth (Ryan) Hageman, Ryan Moore, Geoff Moore, and Travis (Branigan) Jeske. Seven great grandchildren: Maxwell, Teagan, Marrah, Alex, Ali, Jensen, and Walter, as well as several nieces and nephews and brother-in-law Jon (Linda) King.

Those who went before Frank include his wife Janice of 62 years, his parents Ethel and Frank Sr., sisters and their husbands Mabel (Russ) Kuper, Bessie (Joe) McKnulty, Ruth (Oscar) Lentzkow, Mary (Don) Kimball and son-in-law Mark Jeske; and sister's-in-law and their husbands Sandra (Paul) Harris, Gayle (Roger) Vessels, and Jill (Dick) Pleshek.

Frank had pigs since he was 14 years old, did it his way, and had a wonderful life.

Memorials may be directed to Howard County Community Hospice or to Frank Moore’s family to be determined at a later date.

Source: Hindt Funeral Home database