Donald Edwin Moore, 80, of Bloomfield, beloved husband of Amy Kenefick Moore, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 20, 2023.

Much more than a sawmill owner, Don was a musician, a craftsman, and a caring man who loved his family and looked after many people and causes. We will do an in-depth article in the future but want to share this information and his like now. 

Don was born in Hartford, son of the late Ivan N. and Helen D. (Szozda) Moore. He graduated from Bloomfield High School and studied electrical engineering at the University of Hartford. After his father’s unexpected death, he took over his family’s business, Moore’s Sawmill, Inc. The mill was founded in the 1870’s and is the oldest family-owned business in Bloomfield. It is also the longest continuously operating business in Bloomfield. Don was proud to say that the Moore family represented eight generations to have lived on the same piece of property in Bloomfield, and six generations to have owned or operated the sawmill to the present day. Moore’s Sawmill had been a major part of the community for over 100 years when the business suffered a huge loss from a fire in 2007. Bloomfield residents and friends of the family rallied together to raise funds to help them rebuild. The fire destroyed the 4,000-square-foot building that had housed a wood-planing shop, storage for kiln-dried lumber and offices. Don was seen on TV that evening stating that the mill would be open for business the next day and it was.

Don loved the sawmill and his family more than anything. He was a hard worker and often expressed his desire for the sawmill to continue in his footsteps with the next generations. He was a kind and generous person. Don would go out of his way to do good things for other people, regardless of what was happening in his own life.

Don was passionate about the sawmill and its history. He loved to put on his “educator’s hat” to make sure that customers “wood” understand the problems and possibilities of their projects. People looking for plywood were advised that the last plywood tree had already been sawn. People who were clearing land to build a house were encouraged to “recycle their natural resources into something they would be proud of”. A family mourning the storm-related loss of a beloved tree that their children had played in many years ago realized they could build a toybox for their grandchildren out of it with lumber milled at Moore’s.

Don was very sociable and could rarely go anywhere without someone knowing him. People who met him found him to be interesting and engaging. He would give a personal tour of the mill to anyone who asked for one. Not only did he want you to get to know about him and the mill, but he wanted to get to know you too. He never had one-sided conversations. Even when he had to call customer service, he made sure to learn about the person who answered the phone.

Don had a passion for folk music and played the mountain dulcimer and autoharp. He was co-founder of Connecticut’s Nutmeg Dulcimer Festival. Don was founder and director of the Dulcimer Folk Association (DF#A), a group of players that gathered at least twice monthly in the Hartford area for many years. DF#A was known for performing benefit concerts. He performed and recorded CD’s with the group, “Circle of Friends.” He regularly attended folk festivals throughout the Northeast. For many years, Don published a monthly ten-page newsletter about dulcimer playing. He was particularly proud of his collection of instruments made from lumber that had passed through his sawmill. He thoroughly enjoyed building the dulcimer community, educating people about music, and engaging with those who loved it. He was an avid spectator of CYO Basketball in his younger days and was a big fan of UCONN Women’s Basketball. He enjoyed genealogy. Don was a proud member of the CT Antique Machinery Association (CAMA) and the Wood Producers Association (WOODPAC). He was a ham radio operator (Call Sign: K1QPN) for more than 60 years.

Don is also survived by his children, Bruce D. Moore of Bloomfield, Benjamin P. Moore and his wife Kerri (Coughlin) of Bloomfield, James I. Moore and his wife Jessica (Toohey) of East Granby, Douglas E. Moore and his wife Dawn Kittredge of Bloomfield, and Kimberly A. Itsou and her husband Paul of Bloomfield; his step-children, Molly L. Kenefick of Easthampton, MA, Melissa K. Mange and her husband Ryan of Sunderland, MA, Eitan L. Kenefick and his wife Ilana Cohen of Montague, MA, and Rachel K. Miller and her husband Matthew of Pittsfield, MA; his grandchildren, Peter J. Itsou, Joseph S. Itsou, Samantha K. Itsou, Madeline J. Moore, Jackson J. Moore, and Aislinn J. Moore; his step-grandchildren, Clara Jeanette Miller, Francis P. Miller, and Cullen K. Mange; his brother, Thomas Moore and his wife Nancy and their children; his former spouse and the mother of his children, Sandra B. Moore; as well as many other relatives and friends.

His family will receive friends on Saturday, December 2, 2-5 p.m., at Carmon Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Ave., Windsor.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Don may be made to www.logaload.org.

Log A Load For Kids® began in 1988 when loggers and others in the forest products community donated the value of a load of logs to their local Children’s Medical Network hospitals. Today, they raise more than 2 million annually through different fundraisers and events.