Covie Ray Moore

Covie Ray Moore, 82, died in Denver, Colorado, on October 19, 2020, after a full and rewarding life. Covie was born January 28, 1938, on the Moore Family Farm in Huff, Arkansas, to parents Thearon Ray Moore and Grace Marie Moore. 

Covie’s life was punctuated by hard work and ambition. He drove a tractor at age 4; won the state fair with his champion bull through 4-H at age 14; worked the fields in Kansas and Oklahoma in search of a better life, following his 1956 graduation from Pleasant Plains high school; and held management positions with Safeway Foods in Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Dallas, and Washington, DC, and with Banquet Foods in Batesville, Arkansas.

He went on to start North Arkansas Industrial Services, and specialize in the development of poultry operations across Northeast Arkansas, including the patented growth-stimulating invention, known as “The Chicken Man.” He ended his career developing and curating ranches that served a variety of agricultural and recreational purposes. He loved being outdoors and connecting with people.

Covie never met a stranger and always had a zest for life. His kind heart, paired with his easy smile and laugh, brought joy to many. Known for his affable nature and storytelling abilities, he celebrated and accumulated the stories of his family and friends at every turn, and the stories about Covie over the years were infamous as well—from meeting Elvis in 1955 to floating the Buffalo River “dressed to the nines,” making a hole-in-one, regularly upgrading Corvettes, and being the best dancer in the room.

During his younger years, Covie was civically active in the Army National Guard, First Baptist Church, Kiwanis Club, and the Jaycees of Batesville. He cared about his community, and showed it through his generous ways. He would be the first at the hospital upon learning someone was ill or at visitation when someone passed. Covie also enjoyed “jawing” at Kelley’s and Hawg’s, golfing, fishing, and bragging about his grandsons at every opportunity. 

Covie is survived by his daughter, Amanda Moore McBride and son-in-law, Mark McBride, his grandsons, Liam and Ewan McBride, and his former wife and life-long friend, Nancy Bracy Moore, all of Denver.  He is also survived by his older sister, Vonnie Moore Deal (Don Deal) of Oklahoma City, his younger brother, Dennis Moore (Virginia Schmidt) of Huff, as well as five nieces, a nephew, and many dear cousins.  He is preceded in death by his parents and his younger sister, Colleen Moore Kephardt (George Kephardt). 

A private service will be held in the future at Kyler Cemetery. Special thanks are extended to the health professionals and caregivers who lovingly served Covie and his family through his memory care and eventual passing due to the novel coronavirus.

Please consider making a gift in Covie’s memory to your local chapter of the 4-H Club, the Alzheimer’s Association, or Kyler Cemetery. Your greatest recognition of Covie’s life and impact will be to live as he did—by never knowing a stranger, by treating each person as a friend you have not yet had the pleasure of meeting.  

If you would like to send the family flowers and are unsure how to do so please call our office for instructions.