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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Saying goodbye to two Notre Dame legends

One was a born people-person, eloquently spoken, honestly diplomatic, and always ready to greet people by name and with a smile.The other was a tough weathered newsman and teacher who, to his students' delight, would satirize papers, tear them apart and subsequently mold pupils into smarter, savvier journalists.Denny Moore and Jack Powers were beloved at Notre Dame and revered in the journalism world, and the University lost two treasured figures when they died last week.Both attended Notre Dame and returned to bolster the University and the surrounding community with their energy and talents. Moore, a member of the founding staff of The Observer, spent 20 years working in journalism and corporate relations both in this country and in Ireland. He returned to Notre Dame to work in public relations in 1988, was promoted to director in 1990 and served as the official spokesman for the University until 2002, when he was appointed associate vice president of public affairs and communication. He was universally respected for his tact, personality and deep faith. His love for God and the University shone through his service and his actions every day. Powers, an inductee in the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, led a journalistic life about which most reporters can only dream. At the age of 29, he became the managing editor of The South Bend Tribune, and he was named executive editor in 1984. His career glittered with awards and honors; he served as president of the Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors Association and spent six years on the national board of directors of the Associated Press Managing Editors. When he retired from The Tribune in 1990, he continued to teach journalism courses at Notre Dame, where his students loved and idolized him, hanging on his advice and criticism about work and journalism. The University established an internship at The Tribune in his name.These two men embodied the spirit of Notre Dame. They gave their all to their families, their communities, their jobs and the University. Everyone who knew them - and those who knew of them - knew of this dedication and aspired to live by their examples.Moore lived for people, always remembering faces and names - and no one will ever forget his. Powers provided his students with an example of excellence and dedication and will be remembered as a legend. The University suffered a great loss with their deaths, as Notre Dame would not be what it is today without the differences they made with their lives. May we all aspire to live lives so great.