Our History
Our family first became involved in the funeral business in 1917 when Lewis McBryar opened McBryar Brothers General Store in Trenton, Ga. The business had a slogan “If it is in Trenton we have it, if we don’t have it we will get it”. He sold items such as food, clothing, shoes, farm supplies, feed, seed, furniture, lumber, hardware and eventually included necessary items and cloth materials for homemade caskets. He eventually started selling ready made caskets and in the 1930’s included a funeral director sign outside of his home. He obtained the professional services of Smith Funeral Home in Fort Payne, AL for families that wanted embalming. Lewis purchased the Smith Funeral Home in 1943 and continued operating the business with the same personnel.
Sherman C. Moore, married Lewis McBryar’s daughter Gladys McBryar in 1938. They lived in Nashville, TN where he worked as an architectural engineer for Vultce Aircraft Industry and started a family (Sherman Jr, Ronnie, Larry). Sherman realized the need for a licensed funeral director to continue the business in Fort Payne and Trenton and saw the opportunity to move his young family closer to home. He discussed the situation with Lewis and enrolled in classes at John A. Gupton College of Mortuary Science in Nashville and changed to a second shift job at Vultce. Upon graduation he moved his family to Fort Payne, AL and assumed full operations of the funeral home with the assistance of Gladys.
The name of the business was changed to McBryar Funeral Home in 1945 to reflect the new ownership and they began to sell monuments and provide 24 hour ambulance service in the area. Sherman managed and operated the funeral home in Fort Payne for ten years while continuing to serve an increasing number of families in the Trenton area. Realizing the need for a full service funeral home in Trenton he began construction of a new building in 1955. He purchased the business, equipment and inventory of the McBryar Funeral Home from Lewis and moved to Trenton in October 1955. The name was changed to Moore Funeral Home and the McBryar Funeral Home was closed. Sherman operated the funeral home, ambulance service and monument company with the assistance of his wife and three sons as they became of age. He was also the Dade County, GA coroner.
Sherman C. Moore passed away at age 51 in 1968 and Gladys continued to operate the funeral home. Larry Moore Sr. entered Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta, GA where he graduated and became a licensed embalmer and funeral director in 1970. Gladys would later retire from the business the same year.
Ronnie D Moore owned an ambulance service in Chattanooga, TN and started plans for a new funeral home in Trenton soon after his father passed. He sold the ambulance service in 1970 and entered the funeral business. The new funeral home opened in November 1970 and was incorporated the business in 1971. He opened a second chapel in Bryant, AL in 1982. Ronnie served as president and funeral director while my Larry Sr. served as the vice president, embalmer and funeral director. In 1989 he built a new funeral home building adjacent to the original 1955 building. Ronnie died at age 54 in October 1997 and Larry Sr. became president and assumed full operations of the business as the last surviving son and family member.
Tragedy struck the city of Trenton in April 2011 when it was struck by devastating tornados. The funeral home was completely destroyed by the storms but luckily no one was injured. Larry Sr. decided to rebuild at the same location. He operated the business out of a temporary trailer while the new building was constructed. He embalmed at his funeral home in Bryant, AL and held funeral services in local churches. The current funeral home was completed in July 2012 and serves families today.
Larry Moore II joined the staff full time in July 2018 to continue the business as a fourth generation family member.
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Larry Moore Owner
Larry Moore is a 1967 graduate of Dade County High School and a 1970 graduate of Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta where he received a degree in Mortuary Science.
He lives in New Salem with his wife Mary. Together they have three children Misty Morris, Larry Moore II and Wendy Moore Kernea. He is the proud Granddaddy to Gavin, Olivia, Trey, Meghan and Caitlyn.
In his spare time he enjoys attending his grandchildren's activities, antique cars and Dade County High School sports. He is a member of Trenton First Baptist Church. -
Mary West Moore Clerk
Mary Moore is a 1971 graduate of Dade County High School. She resides in New Salem with her husband, Larry Moore. Together they have 3 children, Misty Morris, Larry Moore II and Wendy Kernea.
In her spare time she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren Gavin, Olivia, Trey, Meghan and Catilyn. She is a member of Trenton First Baptist Church. -
Larry Moore II Licensed Funeral Director & Embalmer
Larry Moore II is a fourth generation funeral director and embalmer with a family history dating back over 70 years in funeral service. He is the son of Larry and Mary Moore. Larry is a graduate of Dalton State University and Jefferson State Community College. He holds funeral director and embalmer licensure in Georgia and Alabama.
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Lonnie Denny Licensed Embalmer and Funeral Director
Lonnie was born and raised in Jefferson, North Carolina. He is a 1988 graduate of Ashe Central High School and holds a B.A. in Theology and an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science from Gupton Jones College of Funeral Services. He lives in the New Salem community on Lookout Mountain with his lovely wife, Tina. Lonnie and Tina have one son, Benjamin and wife Cortney and one granddaughter, Olivia and One grandson, Nathaniel of Decatur, Tn.
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Brad Bridges Funeral Assistant
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Naomi Cranfield Funeral Assistant
N aomi Cranfield has worked for our funeral home since, 1996.
She plays an active role for our Bryant Chapel working all of our visitations and funerals, she also works visitation at our Trenton Chapel
Naomi loves to garden and work in her yard. She is married to Carl Cranfield, has two sons, Billy and Mike. Loves spoiling her granddaughter, Torri; three step grandchildren, Devin, Taylor and Damian and great granddaughter, Harper. She is a member of Mountain View Church of God -
Sue Gray Clerk
Sue Gray is a 1964 graduate of Fort Payne High School. She was married to the late Billy Gray. She is the proud mom of Michael and Richard.
Sue resides in New Salem where she serves as pianist at New Salem Baptist Church. She is a Board Member for the Dade County Department of Family and Children Services and Alabama School of Gospel Music.
Her hobbies include Southern Gospel music and spending time with her grandchildren Bobby, Turner, Gunar, Ryne and Gage. -
Evan Stone Funeral Assistant
Evan Stone is a 1982 graduate of Northwest Georgia High School, a 1985 graduate of Walker Technical School and a 1992 graduate of Dalton State.
He resides in Trenton, Georgia where he owns and operates Dade County Broadcasting. He is the proud dad to Tabitha, Evan Jr.. He has four grandchildren Christian, Preston, Quinton and Waylon.
Evan is a the current chairman of the Dade County IDA and vice chairman of the Northwest Georgia Joint Development Authority. He's a former board member of the Hospital Authority of Dade, Walker and Catoosa County.
His hobbies include Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, music, collecting old radios and radio history.
