Obituary of Jess Willard Moreland, Jr

~~Jess Willard Moreland, Jr.
Jess Willard Moreland, Jr., 63, passed away on May 22, 2017 at the Veterans Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. He died from complications after a long battle with leukemia.  A memorial service and celebration of his life will be held Saturday, June 10, 2017, at 10 a.m., at New Hope Landmark Baptist Church in Moody, Alabama.
Jess was born April 20, 1954, in Pell City, Alabama, to Jess and Nandean Moreland.  They moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1957 where the family lived for 14 years.  Jess enjoyed Arizona where he spent his free time fishing and playing team sports including baseball and basketball.  The family moved to Talladega, Alabama, in 1971 and Jess was a member of Talladega High School class of 1972.  He joined the Army in 1975 and served in Germany. 
After he was discharged, he earned his U.S. Coast Guard Master Captain’s License. Jess lived in the New Orleans, Louisiana, area where he was a commercial sea captain, servicing oil and gas exploration operations in the offshore waters of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. 
Jess enjoyed living in Louisiana where he embraced the Cajun culture’s “laissez les bons temps rouler” way of life. He loved the local people, music, and food. He took a break from his captain career to open a nightclub called JJ’s in Louisiana. After owning the nightclub for a couple of years, he realized how much he missed being out at sea and returned to commercial captaining.
Standing 6 foot 5 inches tall with twinkling blue eyes and an infectious laugh, he made a memorable impression. He was particular about his appearance and typically dressed in custom-tailored suits and boots. He owned a series of classic Cadillacs throughout his life.  He loved taking road trips and engaging in philosophical discussions with the people he encountered in the restaurants and coffee shops throughout his journey.
Jess is survived by his mother, Nandean Moreland of Pell City, Alabama; brother Brian Moreland of Austin, Texas; two sisters, Sandra Moreland-Kalinowski of Atlanta, Georgia, and Diane Moreland-Clark of Trussville, Alabama, and an extended family of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.  He is preceded in death by his father Jess Willard Moreland, Sr., 1999, and his brother Douglas Moreland, 2014.
     A Memorial Service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, June 10, 2017 at New Hope-Landmark Baptist Church at 3255 Moody Parkway, Moody, Alabama 35004.  Usrey Funeral Home, Pell City, is in charge of arrangements.