Arthur DeShon Moore of Pompano Beach, Florida died on June 19, 2019 N Osage Beach, MO. He was born on July 27, 1924 in Abilene, TX the son of Arthur Durbin Moore and Evelyn DeShon Moore.
When he was 7, he and his mother moved to her hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri where her parents and 11 brothers and sisters lived. He graduated from Central High School in 1943. Upon graduation, he entered the Naval Aviation Cadet Program and was a pilot in the Pacific during World War II. After the war he entered Kansas University, graduating in 1949 with a degree in Fine Arts. He started his business career in Houston, Texas selling outdoor Christmas decorations to cities in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. In 1950 he returned to Kansas City and helped found Pitman Mfg. Co. In 1959 he witnessed the Chicago Fire Department had rigged one of his tree-trimming machines with a fire hose. The idea for the Snorkel Fire Truck was formed and he left Pitman to start Snorkel Fire Equipment Company. In 1963 he moved the company to St. Joseph, MO. He sold Snorkel Fire Equipment Company in 1971 to ATO/Figgie International and stayed on as President until his retirement in 1991. During this time, he developed and sold Snorkel Industrial Aerial Work Platforms around the world.
Art married Sue Block in 1993 in San Antonio, Texas. They enjoyed traveling the world and spent the summers in Osage Beach, Missouri and the winters in Pompano Beach, Florida.
Art wrote his memoirs, entitled MY STORY. Art received the Lifetime Achievement Award from International Powered Access Federation in 2016 and was inducted the American Rental Association Hall of Fame in 2017. Art was on the Board of Directors of Snorkel. He is a Life Member of the Kansas Jayhawk Society. Art is a member of Harper Chapel United Methodist Church, Osage Beach, Missouri.
He is survived by his wife Sue, his children Melissa Moore (Aaron Snyder) of Denver, CO, Arthur D. Moore, Jr. (Jerry Lin) of Henderson, NV and Kristyn Sanders of Columbia, MO, a step-daughter Lourenda Block of Washington, DC., Grandson Zen Moore, Seattle, WA and Granddaughters Aubrey and Ainsley Sanders of Columbia, MO and numerous cousins.
Funeral Services 10:00 A.M. Friday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will gather with friends 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. Thursday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Harper Chapel United Methodist Church, 5567 Osage Beach Pkwy, Osage Beach, Missouri 65065 or KU Endowment, PO Box 928, Lawrence, Kansas, 66044. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.