The “Voice of Jackson County”, Don Moore Is Gone

Marianna Radio, Newspaper Legend Don Moore Dies from Cancer

A Testimonial By Bo McMullian

Don Moore was recuperating from a massive heart attack when doctors told him on Oct. 4 that he had about a week to live—not from the heart attack, but from the advanced lung cancer discovered after hospital tests. The doctors at Jackson Hospital in Marianna were correct. Ten days later, on the night of Oct. 14, the legendary Marianna area sports and media personality died at the age of 76. He left behind only a fiancé, no family that friends knew of, and a stunned group of fellow employees at WJAQ-WTOT radio. Up until the last week in August, he had been on the air for the last 21 years.

Don read the news at 7a.m. Monday through Friday, much of which he gathered himself. He hawked the merchandise of local stores, having also personally sold many of the radio ads. Many listeners tuned in as well for his humorous banter with the likes of announcers Bill Collins and Robert Conrad. Once a week, Don told his listeners “Business News,” continuing a column he had begun while working at The Monitor, a weekly newspaper in Marianna during the 1980s.



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