James Irvin Moore

Jim, a devoted husband to Maxine Doris Moore (White) and proud father of three children and six grandchildren, passed away on April 13, 2025, in Alamo, California. Born in Loma Linda, California, April 12, 1932 to Louis Clay Moore and Mary Viola Gates, he was one of four children, with siblings Mary Lou, Richard, and Ronald. He met the love of his life, Maxine, in San Jose, California, and they married on March 18,1955, in Willow Glen, California, officiated by his father Louis Moore, and then resided in San Francisco and eventually Walnut Creek, California.

Jim went to elementary school in Eugene, Oregon, and Lindsey, California, then attended San Fernando High School in California after which he pursued higher education at San Jose Christian College, graduating in 1954 with a Bachelor of Sacred Literature in 1954, where he met Maxine. He then earned a BA in Business Administration in 1958 from San Jose State University, graduating with distinction and departmental honors. In 1958 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, US Army Reserve in Fort Ord, and later was honorably discharged as Captain and served in the Reserve. He attended Infantry Officers training in Ft. Benning, Georgia.

Due to his never-ending love of learning and not being one to shy away from a challenge he ended up pursuing Dentistry at the University of California, San Francisco, graduating in 1965. He then established his practice in Walnut Creek that his son Dan eventually took over. He occasionally instructed at Diablo Valley College and was very active with the Contra Costa Dental Society as an officer, member of the Board of Directors, chairman of peer review and paradental liaison, and was honored as the Man of the Year.

Jim was a loving father to his three sons, Stephen Jay Moore, Michael Louis Moore, and Daniel James Moore, who dearly miss him. Although he had a passion for singing in barbershop quartets, flying ultralights and planes, and embarking on outdoor adventures, his absolute favorite role was being a grandfather to Dylan, Kyle, Lydia, Ryan, Sara, and Thomas, whom he loved, supported, and served as an amazing role model.

Jim was a prolific storyteller. Some of his favorite tales were about his family ancestry, tracing back to covered wagons heading west, his across-the-nation quartet trip in 1954 and working at the Western Pacific Railway Roundhouse in Oroville, California. His multitude of hobbies included scuba diving, backpacking, piano, boating, skiing, world travel, real estate investment, RV road trips, gardening, and fixing anything and everything himself.

He had a unique gift to make everyone around him feel truly understood, important, and heard. He somehow would give sage advice without it ever feeling like it was even advice. Traits that will be missed by all of us.

Jim's bedrock was his lifelong friends, who stood by his side for decades. You know who you are - he spoke endlessly about all of you and the memories you created together, both here, abroad, and on Fridays.