Charles Moody served more than 31 years as an Extension Agent in Cherokee County with a career which began in 1964. Moody started his career as an Assistant County Agent, where his main duties were with 4-H. He was promoted over the years to Associate County Agent, County Agent, and ultimately to County Coordinator, the position from which he retired in 1995 after fifteen years in that role, a considerable amount of that time being devoted to community development.
Moody received both his BS in Agricultural Education and his Master of Agriculture degrees from Auburn University. Extension Agronomist O.N. Andrews gave Moody some very good advice early in his career, “find yourself a special area that you enjoy and can be especially successful in and work to make a great success in that area.” Moody began a career in Extension immediately after finishing his studies at Auburn. He recalls, “after my last ‘final’ exam, my AG ED professor carried me |
over to Duncan Hall and introduced me to George D.H. McMillan, District Agent, and told Mr. McMillan he thought I’d be a successful Extension County Agent”. Two mentors stand out in Moody’s memory: J.J. Young, Cherokee County Agent, and then B.B. Williamson, Sumter County Agent, whom Moody credits with leading to his success in community development. A highlight of his career came with investiture to the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Hall of Fame in 2011.
The genetic engineering of plants such as corn, soybeans and cotton which allows them to be tolerant to pesticides, thereby eliminating the need for mechanical tilling, has been a great technological advance in Moody’s opinion. Since retirement Moody has served on several civic boards including the local Chamber of Commerce, the County Historical Museum, and the Lookout Mountain Parkway Association. Moody’s wife of 51 years, Hilda, passed way in September 2015. Moody and his wife, Judy, married in 2018 and live in a new home they have built together. Moody also oversees his family’s farm in Blount County. |