William W. "Bill" Moss

72, oral historian, archivist, teacher and beloved father, died Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, of an aggressive form of cancer. Mr. Moss, of 41 James Square, Williamsburg, VA, died in the loving presence of family members at his daughter's home in Williamsburg. He was born in New York City but grew up in Williamsburg. He spent most of his school years at Matthew Whaley School, and dearly loved his hometown, county and commonwealth, though he spent most of his adult life elsewhere. Mr. Moss received his undergraduate education at Haverford College and graduate education at Columbia University. He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve on active duty from 1958 to 1962, and was employed by the U.S. government for most of his career, with the National Security Agency from 1964 to 1968; the John F. Kennedy Library from 1968 to 1983; and at the Smithsonian Institution from 1983 to 1993, where he was the Smithsonian Archivist. After retiring from federal service in 1993, he spent six years teaching English in China, notably at the Foreign Affairs College, China's diplomatic academy. He also served two years, from 1999 to 2000, as assistant state archivist of the Tennessee State Library and Archives. While with the Kennedy Library, Mr. Moss wrote a book on the practice of oral history that was then widely acclaimed, and later joined with P.C. Mazikana of Zimbabwe to write a work on oral history and oral tradition for the UNESCO records and archives management program that has been extensively quoted in subsequent work on oral history. While in China, and later, in his Williamsburg retirement, he helped to edit three award-winning Chinese-to-English dictionaries. His four children say Mr. Moss taught them to think for themselves, to tell right from wrong and to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, from listening to the birds on a quiet walk to sharing silly jokes and genuine laughter with friends. In his retirement, Mr. Moss regaled his family and friends with regular essays on China, U.S. politics and whatever subject caught his fancy. In a letter to his family written before his death, Mr. Moss wrote, "I have always left up to God whatever happens after death, and I am content that I deserve no special distinction for good or ill among the souls of the universe, but have been blessed with a rich and interesting life, and can ask no more." Mr. Moss was married for nearly 40 years to, and then divorced from, Madeleine Ann Smith of Warwick, VA, and is survived by her and four children, Richard L. (Pat) Moss of Medina, N.Y.; M. Elizabeth (Doug) Beal of Mt. Vernon, Maine; Wm. Alexander (Katie) Moss of Eagle River, Alaska; and Susan J. (Shaheem) Abrahams of Williamsburg; and six grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Richard K. (Carolyne) Moss of Penn Valley, Calif., and his sister, Anne P. Moss of Grass Valley, Calif. At Mr. Moss' request, there will be no formal services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the C.C. Morris Cricket Library at the Haverford College Library, Haverford, PA 19041, or the Christopher Wren Association for Lifelong Learning, College of William and Mary, PO Box 8795, Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795.