Judge Moody R. Tidwell, III of Sturgeon Bay, WI died Thursday, April 2, 2026 of natural causes.
He was the loving husband to his wife of 55 years, father and grandfather. Moody was born February 15, 1939 in Kansas City, MO. Moody lived in Oklahoma, Virginia, Japan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. He graduated from Fairborn, Ohio High School in 1957 and Ohio Wesleyan University and where he was active in athletics and student government. He graduated in 1961 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology.
After service in the U.S. Coast Guard, he attended American University School of Law where he graduated with a Juris Doctor of Laws, then George Washington University where he was awarded a Master of Laws degree in 1974.
In his long legal career Moody was the youngest Solicitor in the U.S. Department of the Interior where he was responsible for an eleven-billion-dollar program of some of the major government construction projects at the time including the largest hydro-electro power plant ever built at Grand Coulee Dam, a massive desalting project in Saudi Arabia, and the St. Louis Arch. He was awarded the Secretarial Gold Medal for Excellence in 1981. As a close personal friend and confidant of Secretary James G. Watt, he also was Political and Policy Counsel to the Secretary.
Moody also taught law and edited several law journals. He was legal director of the Mine Safety and Health Administration. He was licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and the Supreme Court of the U.S. He also served as Corporate Secretary to KECO, Inc. in Kentucky.
In 1983 Judge Tidwell was named by President Reagan to sit on the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, one of the oldest courts of the country. Judge Tidwell's Judicial Appointment was confirmed by the Senate on March 13, 1983 and he became a prodigious adjudicator of western water right disputes, Indian land claims, and 5th Amendment land seizures by the government. It was in the latter area that Judge Tidwell had his greatest impact. He ruled that when the federal government utilized private property, even for a short while, the landowner must be reimbursed. His opinion, upheld on appeal by the Supreme Court, forced federal agencies to change the way they seize private property. Another of his opinions was adopted by the Department of Justice as its guide for fraud litigation. His published opinions fill a five-foot bookshelf. Judge Tidwell went into senior status in 2002.
In 1993 Moody created a non-profit foundation to support his efforts to offer conflict resolution at senior political levels in the Republic of South Africa immediately after the first free elections in that country. He created a network of senior political, business, legal, and scholastic affiliates in South Africa to whom he could turn for advice and support. Many of those individuals benefited from his conflict resolution efforts. The program was a success; President Mandela, at one point instructed the Ministers of his government, if asked, to cooperate with Judge Tidwell. Former president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, FW de Klerk, asked him to draft the land reform provisions of the new constitution and, after leaving office asked Moody to join with him to teach the people of sub-Saharan Africa how to create and live in a democracy. In such role Moody served on the Board of Directors of the F.W. de Klerk Foundation. He visited South Africa 27 times over the following years to continue his services and meet with many of the friends he made during his efforts on behalf of that nation.
Moody lived in Sturgeon Bay, WI. He was preceded in death by his wife Serena, the love of his life, and their son Gregory. He is survived by his son Jeremy and his wife Terri, his daughter-in-law Sylvia who Moody always described as the best thing to happen to this family and his two wonderful grandchildren, Nicholas and Bianca, all of Sacramento, CA. He was preceded in death by his father, Major General Moody R. Tidwell, Jr. and mother, Dorothy.
Moody was a great and good man who leaves a wonderful legacy for his children and grandchildren. He had boundless curiosity and was a recognized philatelist who enjoyed his award-winning collections and exhibits well into his later years. By his very nature he was a man of warmth and charisma. He bought grace and diligence to all of his life's assignments and rendered distinguished service in everything he ever did; as a sailor, lawyer, foundation executive, federal judge, and most importantly as a devoted husband. He made friends wherever he went. His kindness and generosity touched the lives of many. He will be greatly missed by his family and multitude of friends he made throughout his life.
It is with sadness we say goodbye to Moody, but with great joy we celebrate his life.
A celebration of his life will be held at Huehns Funeral Home (1414 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay WI 54235) on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Friends may call from 2:00 p.m. until the time of service at 4:00 p.m. Moody will be interred in South Carolina with his wife Rena.
Please visit www.huehnsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guestbook, express condolences and share memories.
