Commissioners reflect on death of Judge Bob Moon

Hamilton County General Sessions Court Judge Bob Moon died of a heart attack at his home Thursday morning. He was 60. 

The news came as a shock to members of Hamilton County government. Moon, born in East Lake and a lifelong resident of Hamilton County, was appointed to general sessions court judge in 1996. 

Moon's death came on the heels of the passing of Rees Skillern, the 49-year-old son of Hamilton County Commissioner Fred Skillern, who died Wednesday after a seven-year battle with cancer.

During their Thursday morning session, commissioners spent the majority of time reflecting on what Chairman Larry Henry called "a saddening week in county government."

"We lift up their families in prayer," Henry said. "This is a difficult time for all of us, as they were both like family to us."

Commissioner Tim Boyd called Moon's death "a great loss to the county."

"He was a friend to all of us and a great citizen of Hamilton County. If I knew one person whom I could personally say is a statesman and a philosopher, it was Judge Moon. He knew the laws of this country extremely well and explained those laws in layman's terms, so you could appreciate the laws of this country."

Commissioner Joe Graham, who called Moon a "brother and a mentor," had last spoken with the judge on the phone late last evening. Graham said Moon had called to discuss a memorial poem he was writing for Rees Skillern's funeral on Friday.

"He wanted several of us to come by his office after our meeting today and sign that poem," Graham said. "Fred and Bob were like brothers as well. This is going to be a double blow for him, to lose his son and one of his best friends in the same week."

Graham described Moon, who published more than 100 poems throughout his career, as a "perfectionist." The commissioner added that Moon would have likely revised his poem for Skillern several times before reading it on Friday. 

"The version won't be anything like the one he would have finished because he would have tweaked it about 50 times," he said. "He was a real statesman, he loved this community and [he] loved being involved with this community."

The funeral for Rees Skillern will be Friday at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Soddy-Daisy. Details on services for Moon will be published as they become available. 

Updated @ 2:13 p.m. on 01/26/12 for clarification.