Beaumont attorney Ray Moore, right, and his wife, Mary, were present for the formal renaming of Lamar University's music department as The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music.
The founder of one of Beaumont's most successful law firms and his wife have made a major contribution to Lamar University.
Ray Moore, who founded Moore Landry LLP, and his wife of 56 years, Mary, donated $2 million to the university's music department. The Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music became the official name of LU's music department on Monday.
"This is a great day for Lamar University," University President James Simmons said, "for we are gathered here to recognize one of the finest couples in Beaumont and to honor them as we dedicate the Mary Morgan Moore Department of Music."
Ray Moore graduated from Lamar in 1950 when it was still a two-year college and went on to attend Southern Methodist University. Mary Moore completed her bachelor's degree at the University of Texas and met Ray while pursuing a master's degree in music.
"Education is one of the most important decisions in life. It enables you to do the things that you want to do," Ray Moore said. "When I transferred, all 60 hours I accumulated at Lamar were accepted at SMU. That's a testament to quality education Lamar has always provided to Southeast Texas students."
As an attorney, Ray and his partner Floyd Landrey established Moore Landrey in Beaumont in 1968. Moore Landrey now has a second office in Austin. The firm specializes in civil litigation and intellectual property cases.
Ray is a member of the Jefferson County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, the American Judicature Society, and is a Life Fellow Member of the Texas Bar Foundation.
He used his banking and finance degree from SMU to co-found CommunityBank of Texas. An avid golfer, he is also co-owner and president of Idylwild Golf Club.
Ray Moore has served on a number of Lamar boards and committees including the Alumni Association Advisory Board and as a campaign cabinet member for the $100 million Investing in the Future comprehensive campaign. He received Lamar's highest alumni honor in 2005 as a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award for his commitment to his alma mater.
"Lamar is so pleased to honor Mary and Ray for their tradition of philanthropy and community service," Simmons said. "Future generations of music majors will benefit from the generosity of the Moore family and will identify Mary and her family as leaders in supporting excellence in musicianship and music education."
"Your generosity will transform our music department by enabling us to recruit the finest faculty and the most promising student musicians and it will enable us to provide more scholarship assistance to students who need a hand to realize their dreams," Simmons said.