DeVoe Moore found his love for collecting when he started his first knife collection at the age of 9. (He’s still collecting!) This love quickly grew to include cars. During his Junior year of high school, he customized his brother’s 1951 Ford two-door hardtop. While still in high school he had a 1933 Ford Coupe chopped and channeled with an Oldsmobile motor. This car would “outrun anything” in Tampa, Florida. Then came a 1953 Mercury Monterey two-door hardtop. He and three of his high school buddies rolled this car smashing the top down against the seats.
These acquisitions and activities were just the start of a lifelong passion for the craftsmanship seen in automobiles and other collections he has assembled. A furtherance of this passion is to ensure the children of today have an opportunity to visit the past, to be excited and amazed at their own history and potential.
Born in Spring Creek, North Carolina in 1939, DeVoe Moore spent his early childhood in Greeneville, Tennessee prior to moving to Tampa, Florida where he graduated high school. His formal education started at Andrew College in Cuthbert, Georgia and was completed at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. Devoe is married to Shirley McEwan. They have two daughters and six grandchildren. He has made Tallahassee his home since 1961.
DeVoe has been involved in numerous land acquisitions and has been self-employed with various businesses over the years. Some of his businesses have included Fleet Supply, Inc., Florida Georgia White Truck Sales, ABAC Auto Parts, Baker Alford Auto Parts, Certified Automotive Warehouse, Airport Industrial Park, Fort Knox Storage, Cross Creek Golf Course and the Tallahassee Automobile Museum.
Through the years, he has served and continues to serve the local community through his involvement in his church and many different organizations. He also serves as a board member of several community foundations and has been honored in a variety of ways by various organizations.
Some of the most recent honors include, helping to establish the DeVoe L. Moore Center in the College of Social Sciences in 1996. The Center’s purpose is to help students study how government rules and regulations affect free enterprise and property rights. He has also provided numerous endowed scholarships to assist athletes and other students.
In 2005, he received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Florida State University as recognition of his personal achievements and his generosity toward generations of young people seeking a higher education.
In 2009, the East Coast Drag Times Hall of Fame inducted DeVoe into the prestigious group of people who participate in motorsports racing. He was honored for his contribution to the motorsports heritage through the museum.
In 2010, DeVoe was honored to have the University Center building named after him as part of the expansion of Doak Campbell Stadium at Florida State University.
In 2012, DeVoe was inducted into the Florida State University Athletic Hall of Fame for his gracious contribution to the University and Athletic Department, inspiring others to do the same.
In DeVoe’s spare time he enjoys working his farm which includes water buffalo and goats, working his pastureland, and speaking to community groups and associations about free enterprise and the museum. In addition to these interests, DeVoe’s businesses could certainly be considered ‘hobbies’ to him.