Benjamin Eugene Moore Ill was born in Norfolk, VA on July 14, 1936. His family tree had roots in North Carolina and Virginia. Coming from a typical Naval family they moved often. The war years were spent in Norfolk, VA and Jacksonville, FL. After the war they transferred about once a year to places including Belle Haven, VA, Pearl Harbor, HI and Coronado, CA. In 1950 the family moved back to Belle Haven where Ben was reunited with his circle of childhood friends before going off to a military school. Ben graduated from Randolph Macon Academy in Front Royal, VA in 1955. Whenever he came home Ben was off to see old friends in Belle Haven as soon as he could get the keys to the family DeSoto.
After attending the University of North Carolina for three years, Ben elected to join the Navy and was sworn in by his father Rear Admiral Benjamin E. Moore Jr. in late 1958. He served on the carrier USS Wasp in Quonset Point, RI. Upon completion of his enlistment, Ben joined the R.J. Reynolds Company in Winston-Salem, NC.
It was the summer of 1963 when Ben’s life changed forever. He met Miss Ann Click Morris on a blind date and In less than one year they were married. They purchased their first home in Clemmons, NC, on a lake where they enjoyed sailing their boat “Miss Ann” and spending time with their friends. Two years later they celebrated the birth of their son Benjamin Eugene Moore IV. Being in sales Ben was transferred to Greeneville, TN where their daughter Susan Morris Moore was born.
One last transfer transplanted the family to Mission Viejo, California in 1973. Ben traveled a lot when he became a salesman for Cleo selling greeting cards and gift wrap . Many of the local sales meetings took the family on road trips to places like Arizona and Utah. Singing along with songs from the 70’s and playing road games was definitely a family favorite. Trips to Hawaii were especially treasured as that was the “big family trip”. Trips to New York for the annual Toy Show introduced Ben and Ann to fine dining and Broadway musicals. They enjoyed Cats and Les Miserables.
Ben retired in 1997. He and Ann enjoyed their weekly lunch dates in Dana Point Harbor and cruising the California coast. Their daughter Susan met, fell in love with and married Chad Christopher Nelson. Upon completion of her nursing degree, Susan and Chad started their family. This is what Ben and Ann had been waiting for. Two grandsons, Joshua Lawrence and Samuel Benjamin, are the light of their lives!!! They enjoyed attending birthday parties, holiday celebrations, baby sitting, award banquets, soccer games and swim meets. Ben loved to dabble in the stock market and struck up a fantastic friendship with his financial advisor! He purchased an Equus and he LOVED THAT CAR!!!!
Ben and his son Skip would make weekly trips to Costco (his favorite local hangout ) where they loved to shop, grab a hot dog and of course get flowers for Ann.
Ben was a devoted Husband, a beloved Father and a loving Granddad.
He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Ben's memory to:
RAD Camp Inc, 17921 Sky Park Circle, Suite G, Irvine, CA 92614
or
The San Clemente Educational Foundation, P.O.Box 4538, San Clemente, CA 92674
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