Robert ‘Bear’ Moore Athena December 21, 1965-November 18, 2016

Published 11:55 am Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Little Chief Rain in the Pants was born at the Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Prineville, Oregon, to Ray and Nellie Moore. A rambunctious child, he made us a family. He started school in Port Angeles, Washington, then attended first grade at Idleyld Park, Oregon, then moved to Camp Sherman, then on to Pendleton, Oregon, where he graduated high school.

During his middle school years he joined the Umatilla Tribal Police Cadets. When he graduated high school he was lieutenant commander of the cadets. During his cadet years he took the same training as police recruits. This included self-defense police baton, handcuffs and extractions, as well as wrestling heavyweight in high school.

His kindness and listening skills were apparent when shopping with his parents and meeting a classmate who had problems and needed to talk. Listening was a lifelong trait.

After high school he attended the police academy then went to work for the Intertribe police force working on the Columbia River. Later he began working for the National Park Service serving at Mt. Rainier, Yosemite, Fort Vancouver and Fort Clatsop, where Lewis and Clark wintered over. At Fort Vancouver he was involved in reenactments of fort days as Chief Casino, prominent Columbia River chieftain. After his national park service he went to work for Rams Security and became their outstanding pistol marksman.

Along the way he married and had two sons, J.R. and Thomas, who were the apple of his eye.

He began working for the Umatilla Tribe as a surveillance officer at Wildhorse Casino where he worked for 16 years until his death of liver disease.

Robert loved music and was a shooting enthusiast. He was very proud of his Native American heritage. His grandmother was an original enrollee of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

He leaves behind his wife Marva Moore of Umatilla, Ore.; son J.R. and wife Christina, their children Kyle Moore of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Heather Hiatt of Vancouver, Wash.; son Thomas Moore of Athena, Ore.; his parents Ray and Nellie Moore of Athena, Ore.; auntie Jewel Mooney of Prineville, Ore.; eight grandchildren; and numerous cousins, friends and people he touched along the way.

At Rob’s request a wake, non-alcoholic, will be held Saturday, December 3, 2016, at 12:00 noon at Weston-McEwen High School in Athena, Oregon.

Sign the online condolence book at www.burnsmortuary.com. Arrangements are with Burns Mortuary of Pendleton.