Lorenzo Alexander Moore Sr. joined the choir invisible on Wednesday morning, June 30, 2010. He was born Dec. 30, 1957, into one of the cleverest and most talented families in Washington, D.C. His parents, Charles and Mary Lacy Moore, raised eight children, of whom Lorenzo was undoubtedly the cleverest and most talented of all.


Lorenzo was fond of saying that with six older sisters, it was like having seven mothers. To hear him tell it, he never had a day's respite from being sent by one or another of them to the store for feminine products. And being dressed up in girls' clothing and paraded around was reportedly a favorite pastime of the sisterhood.

One powerful childhood memory of Lorenzo's was of being at the 1963 March on Washington and hearing Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech in person.

As a young man, Lorenzo was popular with the girls, but difficult as it is to believe, he was very shy. In 1979, he married the one that won his heart, Shrele Scott. His devotion to her crossed into two decades until her early passing in 1994. Lorenzo dearly loved his eight children and considered each a blessing: Tara, Lorenzo Jr., Alonzo, Bobby, James, Shirhea, Alexandria and Angel.

In recent years, Lorenzo became a man with an amazing testimony to share. He was victorious in a battle against substance abuse and his life was symbolized by faith and courage. Lorenzo was an artist, who in his spare time, worked in a variety of environments, in all of which he was the Star Employee. At one point, it was his job to clean the office of the Surgeon General, C. Everett Koop. Other companies where he lent his charisma and remarkable work ethic included the Hutchinson Dillons and Wal-Mart stores.

Some of Lorenzo's greatest joys involved singing, travel, watching kung fu movies and any Western starring Robert Duvall, and being a hoarder. He was a member of Grace Bible Church and loved serving his Lord, Jesus Christ, with all his heart.

Lorenzo and Laine met in a church play, where she was cast as Mary Magdelene and he was the disciple with only one line, which he delivered impeccably. Lorenzo and Laine were married May 10, 1996, and Laine is alive, for the time being. Other survivors include: sisters, Rhea, Ayo, Hazel, Mertine, Lynn-Sheree, Kathy; and a charming-yet-oversized pooch named Josiah, who Lorenzo trained to sit using the command, "Sit DOWN." Gone on before him were his brother, Charles, and his daughter, Alexandria.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, July 7, 2010, at 4 p.m. at The Father's House, with Pastors Rick Goertzen and Quintin Moore officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lorenzo Moore, Sr. Memorial Fund in care of Elliott Mortuary.