The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences mourns the death of Dr. Tyrel (Tink) Moore, professor emeritus in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, who passed away on Sept. 14, 2020 at Northlake House in Charlotte.
A scholar of the South, Moore joined the faculty at UNC Charlotte in 1982 and retired in 2017. It is estimated that he taught more than 20,000 undergraduates as well as a significant portion of the Charlotte region’s urban planners. Above all, he was a devoted educator who loved the classroom, but who also used his calm demeanor to shepherd assistant professors, lecturers, graduate students, and part-time Instructors through their first years of teaching.
Many say that Moore’s greatest strength was being good to people and his belief in intellectual and professional humility. A celebration of his life will be scheduled when people can gather together safely. People can donate in his honor to benefit students to the “Dr. Tink Moore Memorial Fund” by notating a contribution to the UNC Charlotte “Department of Geography & Earth Sciences Fund” at giving.uncc.edu.
Moore was known for finding time for those who needed his help, advice or perspective. His talent for teaching and mentoring was widely recognized. He received the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2004 and The Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence in 2003.
He organized and directed dozens of student-community collaborations in Mecklenburg and surrounding counties researching regional, small town, and neighborhood planning issues. These experiences not only helped local officials and citizens but served as training for UNC Charlotte students. Dozens of his students work in local and regional planning organizations across the United States.
He helped guide the growth and reshaping of his home community of Harrisburg, through his service as chair of the Harrisburg Planning and Zoning Board.
He was also a promoter of geography more broadly and served as the president of the Southeastern Division of the American Association of Geographers in 2000-2001. In recognition of his service to the organization, he received the Faculty Honors Service Award in 2003 and the Faculty Honors Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. He also earned the Distinguished Teaching Achievement Award from the National Council for Geographic Education and the North Carolina Geographical Society/Geographic Alliance Outstanding Geography Educator of the Year award.
Moore served in the U.S. Air Force and earned the Air Force Commendation Medal for meritorious service. Subsequently, he earned a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Tennessee where he began his teaching career as a lecturer. Following a move to Western Kentucky University 1976, he joined the faculty at UNC Charlotte.
