 Moody's personal friends included the politician and novelist Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton, and the biologist Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker.During his retirement, Moody lived at Caynham Court, Ludlow, Shropshire and later at Fairfield House, Charmouth, Lyme Regis.Richard Clement Moody died at the Royal Bath Hotel, Bournemouth on 31 March 1887, whilst visiting Bournemouth with his daughter,
and was buried at St Peter's Church, Bournemouth.