A Very Special Inspirational Memory

Oct 1, 2024

Rather than reading an inspirational passage today, I would like to share the stories of two family members who continue to inspire my understanding of service and my commitment to service.

I'll begin with my eldest granddaughter, Annika Joan, now seven. When Annika was in Kindergarten she came home one day in May telling her mother that they had learned about service that day. My daughter, her mother, couldn't understand at first and Annika kept saying service, you know service. Finally her mother realized the school had celebrated memorial day by inviting members of the military to speak to the students. But rather than coming home to tell her mother that military service men and women had visited her class, she focused on the word service giving her mother an opportunity to share with Annika her own relatives who were serving or had served in the military. Her step Uncle Matt, currently a Major in the Marines, her step grandfather, my late husband, who served two tours in Vietnam, one as a Vietnamize linguist and her great grandfather, my father, a WWII submariner, Radar and Radio operator on the USS Razorback through five patrols in the Pacific. My father, Calvin Moon, passed away at 100 years, 2 months and 18 days on September 5th. Many of you met my father at our July 2023 bell ringing as he helped me ring the bell for our home state of New Jersey.

But my father's military service was only the beginning of a life time of service. Dr. Calvin Moon, a large and small animal veterinarian by profession, served as a local school board member; was a Boy Scout Leader; a ham radio operator for a county emergency service; a member of the Rutgers Oral History Society; and a diplomate with the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. Knowing how difficult it was for local small animal veterinarians to offer emergency services at their own locations, he established with other doctors a regional emergency hospital where he served as Medical Director for 20 years. He was also Base Commander for the South Jersey Association of Submariners, and traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas to restore the radio room in his submarine, the USS Razorback, now a museum and restored a second radio room in the Battleship New Jersey now a museum Camden, New Jersey. Over the years he instilled in his children a love of the outdoors. One initiative of his was promoting and supporting by work and donation the restoration of the Crosswicks Creek. In his life time he received two New Jersey Distinguished Service Medals from Governors Whitman and current Governor Murphy.

But for us, here today, one of his most meaningful areas of service was his 35 year membership in the Bordentown, New Jersey Rotary Club. This included his service as a former past President and his multiple recognitions as a Paul Harris fellow.

In closing, I wanted to share a couple of comments read into the US House of Representatives Congressional Record by New Jersey Representative, Andy Kim. After summarizing Dr. Calvin Moon's life achievements and years of service, Rep. Kim included:

"I commend him for his deep roots in our community, and for his desire to uplift youth, veterans, and all of his neighbors...We are fortunate to carry on his legacy of service and to have his life's work an inspiration in our community."

Annika Joan Mohr's understanding of service and Dr. Calvin Moon's life of service can be an inspiration for us as well.

Author: Catherine McClure
Windmill