Timothy Joseph Moran Jr.

Timothy Joseph Moran died in his home on May 25 after a brief but virulent bout with pancreatic cancer. He is mourned and celebrated by Mary, his wife of 24 years; family members in Georgia, Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin, Colorado, Ontario Canada, and Hong Kong; friends, neighbors, and colleagues. His parents were Timothy Joseph Moran and Eloise Keirn Moran, who gave birth to Tim in Pittsburgh, PA in 1944. Tim always referred to this as “an accident of birth” as he loved Atlanta, considered himself a native, and lived there his entire life except for a short time in Key Biscayne, FL, and when he moved OTP (=outside the perimeter) to live with Mary in Marietta. He is survived by his brother Patrick, sister-in-law Kelly, his niece Molly, her husband Tyler Dukes, and their son Dallas. Tim’s sister Cody Ann preceded him in death. By marriage, Tim is survived by Eric and Wendy VanVugt, their children and their spouses Erin and Craig Hann, Heather and Austin Ramirez, Tim VanVugt, and delightful great nieces and nephews Charlie, Greta, Hazel Phyllis; Moses, Penelope, and Hannah. In Canada, family members include Dean and Jann VanVugt and their daughters and spouses Jill and James Harrison, Abigail and Peter McIlquham, and Megan and Scott Rasmussen. These great nieces and nephews, also a joy, are Bo and Burke; Willa and Lucy; Jackson Ernest and Lyn. Tim also holds dear his brother-in-law William and his wife Lynn VanVugt. After Northside High School, some years at Georgia State University and with the Marine Corps, Tim began to work in commercial insurance before being introduced to what became his lifelong passion. It started at a small sawmill in Darien, GA where he was mentored by an older man who taught Tim everything he knew about wood. That sparked in Tim a love for wood, especially reclaimed wood. As Tim remarked, “I was recycling before recycling was cool.” His wife Mary recalled visiting a site in Fitzgerald, GA where Tim’s crew methodically dismantled an old cotton gin. Some men were cleaning antique bricks for resale. Others were high in the rafters taking down 100+ year old heart pine beams (later in the century these would be steel girders), removing nails, and resawing the wood into flooring, moldings, mantles, and other products. Some of this wood ended up in the beautifully rustic Blue Ridge Grill on West Paces Ferry. Projects like this firmed Tim’s reputation as an expert in heart pine (of which he wrote the standards) and other species of reclaimed and exotic woods. He worked closely with architects, builders, and homeowners and supervised the installations of his products. He was the “go to” vendor and brokered the deal if he didn’t have the product in his warehouse. Tim had some great successes in his long career: celebrity residences in New York City and on the California coast, luxury homes and amenities on Sea Island, GA, and the floating Queen Emma Bridge on Curacao Island in the Caribbean. Despite these prestigious jobs, one of Tim’s greatest pleasures in this line of work was serving second and third generations of early customers. Tim could talk to anyone! He loved restaurants, fine wines, cooking for friends, travel, golf (especially with his brother and brothers in law), getting lost in a good book, his family, his dog Wally, his church. He is missed. He is unforgettable. A Memorial Service will take place 11:00 AM Thursday, June 20, 2024 at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 634 W Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30308. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Midtown Assistance Center, Covenant Community Inc, Threads, or a charity of your choice.

Timothy Joseph Moran Jr.

November 8, 1944 - May 25, 2024