William Poore

Poore, William M., on March 10, Bill passed away after months of health struggles and is now in the loving embrace of his savior, Jesus Christ. Bill was born in 1923 in Pasadena, the second of 5 children, and grew up in Fullerton. In 1942, on his 19th birthday, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. While in school he had worked at an aircraft factory, and so he was assigned to the aviation unit. After flight training, he became a 1st lieutenant and served in the South Pacific as a dive bomber pilot. Bill was proud to have earned 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 9 Air Medals during his combat duty, all by the age of 22. He was discharged from active duty in 1946 and served as a Captain in the Reserves until 1958. Bill was a lifetime member of the VFW. In 1947 he and his college sweetheart, Doris, were married. Bill worked as a chemist at Leffingwell Chemical Corp. and resumed his education, graduating from Whittier Col-lege with a BS and 3 MS degrees -- in chemistry, math, and physics. He was the first chairman of the chemistry department at Goldenwest College when that school opened and also taught at Orange Coast College, spending 32 years as a teacher in the Coast Community College District. Bill also coached football at Long Beach City College. From 1958 to 1972, he and Doris operated a concession stand on the waterfront at Hunt-ington Beach. They moved to Lake Forest in 1977 and began attending Lake Hills Community Church soon after, where they made many friends. A military graveside service was held in Anaheim. Bill is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, and by several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by siblings Jim, Sonny, Gene, and Viola. Bill was optimistic, generous, honest, willing to help anyone in need, and had a great work ethic. He liked football and to travel, to do any kind of home improvement project, and to spend time with friends - but most of all he loved his country and his wife. Mem-orial donations to Alzheimer's Association or to UCI Medical Center, for Alzheimer's research, would be appreciated.