Gene T. Moody

Gene T. Moody of Hazlehurst, Georgia, passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, January 19, 2025. Gene was 97 years old and is survived by his wife of 71 years, Ruby Smith Moody, and his older daughter, Sharon Moody Bowden, of Brookhaven, Georgia. Gene was preceded in death by his youngest daughter, Karen Moody Fechtel, and grandson, Henry C. Bowden IV.

Based on the size of the Moody family and many of the deaths that have already occurred, I am referencing a wonderful article (that is framed in my house) on the Moody family. It would be much too long to do it justice for this obituary. I have taken a few excerpts from the following:

Reference: Anderson, MA (2005) The Moody’s -A Dynamic Jeff Davis County military family Jeff Davis Ledger, 5 October 

Gene was born on September 17, 1927 in Hazlehurst, Georgia and was the 7th child of 13 children, 10 boys and 3 girls.  All 10 sons of Hyman and Bertie Moody served in the military. Fred, the oldest born in 1916, to Allen, born in 1942. A few of the brothers made the military their career, as did Gene’s sister, Eunice, who retired from the Veteran’s Administration as a nurse.  The Moody’s have the distinction of being the largest serving military family in a single generation in the State of Georgia. 

After serving in World War II, Gene returned to Atlanta using his GI Benefits to attend Georgia Tech. He received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 1952 and spent the next 35 years with AT&T and Southern Bell where he met his wife of 71 years, Ruby Smith Moody. Over the many years together, the two have enjoyed traveling, playing golf, and between the two of them, have 16 holes in one! As for Gene’s love of Georgia Tech, he passed that on to his grandson, Henry C. Bowden IV, BS in Electrical Engineering in 2009, and MBA from Scheller College of Business at Georgia Tech in 2015. 

Years ago, Gene and Ruby established the Gene T. and Ruby Moody Tech Promise Scholarship Endowment at Georgia Tech for those students who demonstrated financial need and were pursuing degrees in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. 

Additionally, Gene is a “Golden Giver” at Georgia Tech, as he has given 72 years in a row to “Roll Call” the annual fundraising campaign that supports the school’s academic programs, scholarships and student life. He loved those Yellow Jackets!

At Gene’s request, his ashes were spread at his beloved farm; therefore, there will be no memorial service. God bless all the friends and families that were a part of Gene’s life.

Godspeed Dad

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