Remembering Inuvik's Elvis, Billy Moore
When Billy Moore's friends speak about him, they often mention his love for fishing, his friendliness, work ethic and of course, his love for Elvis Presley — right down to the costume he'd wear to dress up like the star.
Over the weekend, Moore died at the age of 69.
"He was one of our ambassadors, one of our hardest-working people in our community," said Gerry Kisoun, a friend of Moore's since childhood.
"He was always friendly. I don't know if he had a mean bone in his body. He just tried to do his best to entertain you the best that he could."
Originally from Aklavik, Moore moved to Inuvik when it became a town. Moore, who is Gwich'in, had Down syndrome, and outlived the average life expectancy of 60 for those who have the disability.
"To be honest a lot of us kids that grew up with Billy, we didn't know what the heck Down syndrome was, and he was just our buddy," said Kisoun. "He worked and he was just another one of our citizens in our community."
Moore lived for a long time at the Billy Moore Group Home, named after him, which provides services to adults with moderate disabilities. He later transferred to the Charlotte Vehus Group home.
Kisoun said that Moore always liked to entertain and would sing Elvis Presley at most talent shows during the Muskrat Jamboree.
"A very entertaining guy. Not only at our spring jamboree but our Mad Trapper," said Kisoun. "He would perform for the people … He'd might show up with his Elvis Presley outfit and that was our Billy. And, by golly, he was here for a long time."
Louie Goose, another childhood and lifelong friend, always shared a love for music with Moore.
"He would hit every venue in town that would have to do with music, he just loved music," said Goose. "We also loved Billy very much because he was unique, he was honest and he always was content with whatever was happening in his life and he touched us all with that."
Goose moved to Aklavik when he was eight years old, and that's when he remembers first meeting Moore. He was affected by Moore's kindness, even as a kid.
"It was so refreshing just to have somebody to wave to me. And have him wave back," said Goose. "He was so,so friendly.
"It was a person who just made us feel like there was peace in the air."
Goose also said unless it was Sunday when Moore would go to church, Moore would be working for the Town of Inuvik keeping the sidewalks clean.
Working was something that everyone who knew Moore, knew he loved.
"Even before I worked for the Town of Inuvik, you would see Billy trudging down from the Billy Moore home … and Billy would clean the streets. He would either sweep or in the winter time he would shovel the snow and the ice," said Rick Campbell, director of public services for the Town of Invuik.
Campbell said Moore was one of the first people he noticed when he and his family moved to Inuvik as a child, since he was always at the playground during the ball games. He said that Moore had a work ethic like no other.
"Billy was alway happy to go to work," laughs Campbell.
"They had a hard time if Billy wasn't feeling well, of stopping him from going to work … He really enjoyed working. If everyone was like that, things would be good … it's going to be very sad not to see him anymore."
For Goose, he envisions Moore getting to meet and "probably impersonating" his favourite star.
"You're probably with Elvis."
