Happy Birthday, Paw! February 22, 2009

Paw's 83rd Birthday!

Paw has been a great influence on my life. He has taught me how to work hard and continue to work toward my goals. Paw owned "Moore's Hardware" for most of his life. I talked to him a little bit today to get some information from him about his life.

Paw was born the youngest of five children. He had 3 older sisters, and one older brother. He was born at home at 207 Vinecennes Ave, Oakdale, PA to Wesley Arnold and Esther Anna Moore. Wesley was in business with his father as part owner of JS Moore and Son Hardware.

Paw said that his mother told him that she had to walk him to school in first grade to make sure he stayed at school. She said he didn't like the idea of giving up his freedom to go to school. While he attended school, he played drums for the band.

Paw graduated in 1944 and went into the Army. In November, he was honorably discharged due to medical reasons. He came home and worked for the U.S. Post Office in downtown Pittsburgh. He worked the night shift. He took a train into Pittsburgh and returned home on the train in the morning. He attended a semester at Robert Morris and worked at the hardware store. He was approached in February 1945 to take care of the Oakdale School. He worked there until the end of the school year. Then he worked at the hardware store full time.

He met Audrey Marie Farrar when her parents moved to Oakdale. She was attending high school in Wheeling and would visit her parents on the weekends. They were married January 23, 1948. The initially lived at 116 Vincennes Avenue and moved into their current home, 214 Fayette Avenue, in the fall of 1949. They have two children, J. Gary and Betty Ann. They have five grandchildren, Barb, Bev, Beth, Bob, and Doug. They currently have five great grandchildren and a sixth is on her way.

Paw was involved as a Deacon at Good Shepherd Church and a fireman at the Oakdale Fire Department. He is going to Oakdale Fireman's Spaghetti Dinner tonight at the Community Center. One of his grandsons, Bob, is going to be serving the dinner. Bob is a social member of the Oakdale Fire Department.

Paw's favorites: STEELERS PIRATES MOUNTAINEER Basketball PITT Basketball