By By LYDIA GRIMES – Features writer
The city of Brewton lost a well-known businessman Tuesday when Hugo Moye died after a brief illness.
Moye, the owner/operator of Moyes Printing and Office Supply has been in business in downtown Brewton for the past 38 years.
Moye, who was employed with J.W. Luker Wholesale Distributors in 1953 at the age of 16, bought the office supply in 1967 for his wife, Mary, and did some part-time printing. He gave up the wholesale business five years later and began working with the printing end of the office supply business.
In the intervening years, Moye saw some hard times but never gave up on the idea of keeping the business in downtown Brewton, family members and friends said.
During the flood of 1975, water rose 30 inches in the building, but the Moyes just moved everything higher up. The next year, in January 1976, the building blew up from a gas leak in an adjoining business. They had to move across the street to temporary quarters until the building was rebuilt. There were smaller floods in 1990 and 1998 and in 2001; an electrical shortage caused a fire. Extensive damage to the store prevented customers from going inside the business. Moye solved that problem by offering curb-side service to his customers.
That devotion to helping satisfy his customers lasted up to the time of his death. Friends and family said Moye knew on Sunday that he would be undergoing some medical tests Monday, so he spent that afternoon finishing out a customer's order.
Nall said she was surprised to learn of his death on Tuesday night.
Moye was a native and life-long resident of Escambia County and was a member of Alco Baptist Church.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Moye; his daughters, Sharon Moye and Victoria Moye (Scotty) Nix, both of Brewton and one grandson, Christopher Lee Moye of Mobile.
Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Jerry Caylor and the Rev. Jerry Keese officiating. Burial will follow at Catawba Springs Cemetery.