Dunkirk Observer

Roger Moore, Fredonia Athletic Director, Dies

Roger K. Moore, director of athletics and physical education at Fredonia Central High School, died Wednesday in Roswell Park Institute, Buffalo, after a lengthy illness. He was 48.

Mr. Moore was born in Wilson September 12, 1929 the son of the late Kenneth and Irene Welker Moore. He had been a resident of Fredonia for 22 years, living at 55 Summer St., and was a member of St. Joseph’s Church. He also belonged to the Northern Education Association, the Dunkirk Club, and the New York Public High School Athletic Association.

Coach Moore served as Fredonia High School basketball coach for 20 seasons and 388 games, winning 251 and losing 137.

Fredonia teams qualified in 16 of his 20 years for western New York’s post-season basketball playoffs, and won Section VI basketball championships in each of the six years his team made it to the finals: 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1972, and 1977. The Hillbillies emerged as league champions in 1960-61, 1970-71, and 1971-72, and were co-champions in 1962-63 and 1975-76.

The Fredonia High School Holiday Basketball Tournament was organized by Coach Moore, and FHS teams won the event four times and finished second on five other occasions in the past 10 years.

Baseball Mentor

A baseball coach at FHS from 1956-1972, Coach Moore directed the Hillbillies to a 117-107 record in 16 seasons and captured the Section VI Class A title in his final year (1972), as well as in 1967 and 1961.

His teams were crowned champions in 1961 and 1972, and were co-champions in 1971.

Coach Moore took over as Fredonia High varsity football coach for one year in 1970 and finished with a 4-3-1 record, just the second winning record at the school in the previous 17 seasons.

In 1967, he was names Fredonia High’s director of health, physical education, and athletics, succeeding Vic Lesso. In his 11 years as athletic director, Fredonia won more than 35 Section VI championships in all sports, a total unmatched in western New York.

Mr. Moore was a 1947 graduate of Wilson High School where he was a starting center on the varsity basketball team. He graduated from Ithaca College in 1952 after spending his freshman year at Syracuse University. He earned his master’s of science from Ithaca in 1955, and he also spent two years in the Army before arriving at Fredonia High in the fall of 1956.

On Nov. 14, 1968, Mr. Moore was elected the first president of the newly-organized Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Interscholastic Athletic Association (CCIAC) that replaced the old Lake Shore League.

Coach Moore was also elected president of the Chautauqua County Athletic Association in 1968.

In 1965, Mr. Moore was named director of summer activities with the Fredonia Youth Council and was instrumental in forming adult men’s softball leagues. In recent years, Coach Moore also directed the Fredonia-Pomfret Adult Men’s and Women’s Basketball Leagues throughout the winter.

He is survived by his wife, the former Marguerite Bree; three sons, Daniel P. Moore of Raleigh, N.C., and Michael and Dennis, both at home; two brothers, John of Clarence Center and Keith of Ransomville.


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We gratefully acknowledge these individuals and organizations for their generous support.