Conroe Courier November 14, 2023

In their conversations about the office of Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace, Lanny Moriarty made sure his predecessor Wayne Mack always understood the job was always about the people they served. 

Moriarty served as Montgomery County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace from January 2003 through May 2014 when Mack was appointed to the position. He was later elected to the office. 

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“Justice courts are the highest volume courts in Texas,” Mack said. “We see thousands of people. It’s a people’s court and he treated everyone with dignity and respect.” 

Following Moriarty’s death Friday, that is how Mack is remembering his mentor and friend of 30 years. 

“He was fair and most of all he cared,” Mack said. 

Moriarty, 71, died following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He served in public service for more than 40 years, first in the Houston Police Department, then at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and finally as Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace.

Visitation with family and friends is from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home at 20850 Eva Street in Montgomery. 

A celebration of his life is at 10 a.m. Friday at Lone Star Cowboy Church at 21627 Eva Street in Montgomery with Rev. Randy Weaver officiating. Interment will follow at Pool Cemetery in Richards, and lunch will be served at the Lone Star Community Center in Montgomery.

He was born in Navasota in 1952 and was a lifelong resident of Montgomery County. 

He attended school in Richards from first grade until he graduated from Richards High School in 1970. After graduation, he worked for Louisiana Pacific until 1972.

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He hired on with HPD in 1971. He retired from HPD and soon joined the sheriff’s office eventually becoming coordinator of the Auto Theft Task Force division. 

Following Moriarty’s death, Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson said in a Facebook post, Moriarty was a remarkable individual who dedicated his life to serving and protecting the community.

“His legacy will live on in the lives he touched. His spirit will continue to guide and inspire us,” Henderson said. 

Mack first met Moriarty when he joined the sheriff’s office and Mack was the head of building services for the county. Later it was Moriarty who inspired Mack to run for public office as Justice of the Peace. 

“You can help people in this position and watching Lanny do that is what inspired me,” he said. 

In Mack’s term, a juror approached him and shared the story of how Moriarty impacted his life. 

“He was out of control and in some trouble at school. Lanny told him, he could pay the fine, or he could start going to school and get a haircut but this offer would only last for the next four hours,” Mack said. “The young man returned with a haircut and that was the thing to help turn this young man around. Lanny drew a bright line about what was going to be acceptable going forward.” 

Moriarty also served the community through the Conroe Noon Lions Club, the Lake Conroe Area Republican Women, the Houston Police Association and the Montgomery County Fair.

In 2014, he retired from the Justice of the Peace role to spend more time with his family and on the family ranch in Richards. 

Moriarty is survived by his wife, Donna, three children and eight grandchildren.Â