BY DAVID SINCLAIR

Managing Editor

When Randall Moss turned over the reins of the annual International Sardine Festival to Jamie Boles two years ago, he had one condition.

"He told me that it cannot be organized," Boles said recently. "People show up. People know what to do. Everything falls into place."

Like the festival itself, Moss tried not to take himself too seriously. He wanted the focus to be on fun and fellowship - and, more important, he wanted any proceeds to go to a worthy cause.

Moss died last Thursday in the house he built in Aberdeen. He was 84.

While Moss was best known for founding the popular festival and for his quiet humor, friends say his best attribute was his concern for others - especially youth.

"He was a great humanitarian," Boles said. "He loved Aberdeen and Moore County. This is a great loss. He will be missed."

The town of Aberdeen proclaimed Dec. 12, 2009, as Randall L. Moss Day for his humanitarian services to Aberdeen.

The festival is always held on a Friday in early October at the Lake Park in Aberdeen. The menu is simple: sardines, saltine crackers, Moon Pies, sodas and the various condiments.

The 17th edition last year drew an estimated 1,000 sardine connoisseurs. They scarfed down more than 2,500 cans of the tasty little fish.

One of the highlights of the festival is the crowning of the "Sardine Queen." Boles' own mother, Linda Parke, is a former queen. Boles, who serves as Moore County's state representative, has been involved with the festival for about 10 years.

The food is always free, but folks are encouraged to make donations or buy T-shirts and hats. The proceeds are donated to worthy causes that benefit youth. The Sardine Festival Committee, which meets every morning at Bojangle's, would consult with the queen from the prior year to decide where to donate proceeds, according to Boles.

Boles said about $1,100 raised at the 2008 festival was donated last year to the West End Boy Scout troop to help rebuild its burned-down lodge, to Cub Scout Pack 98, to Moore Buddies and to the Aberdeen Parks and Recreation Department youth programs.

The festival started out as a joke. One day, Moss' daughter forced him to eat his sardine lunch across the highway at Aberdeen Lake Park because she couldn't stand the smell. Moss invited his friends to join him and, just like that, a festival was born.

It has become one of the most popular annual community events in Moore County.

"People looked forward to coming back every year," Boles said. "It keeps growing every year. Randall just took a lot of pleasure in that."

Even though Moss took a step back and turned things over to Boles, he was on hand the last two years - very much like a local celebrity.

"He was the Sardine Festival," said Don McCluskey, a good friend and member of the festival committee. "Randall had a good mind for helping people. He had a big heart. He used to grow this garden, and he shared it with others. He loved shelling pecans for others. He loved keeping up with people. Every day, the first thing he did was read the obituary page in the newspaper to see if any veterans had died. That is the way he was."

McCluskey said Moss loved being part of the Bojangle's crowd.

"He always wanted to be there," McCluskey said. "He had to keep them straight. They always called it 'the board meeting.'"

Boles and McCluskey said Moss had a great sense of humor.

"He liked playing pranks on people, but he didn't mind pranks being played on him, either," Boles said.

Moss was born and raised in Hoke County. After being drafted into the U.S. Army and serving in the Philippines, he returned home and worked as a builder in Aberdeen until his retirement.

"He loved life," McCluskey said. "He always had something funny to say. He was a good man."

Bole said he intends to continue honoring Moss' wishes in carrying on the tradition of the Sardine Festival.

"It is all about having fun and not getting too serious," he said.

Contact David Sinclair by e-mail at dsinclair@thepilot.com.