Dr. John William Moser Jr.

Dr. John William Moser Jr. passed away on March 8, 2026, at Westminster Village in West Lafayette, IN, at the age of 89. Born on October 8, 1936, in Hagerstown, Maryland, to John Sr. and Margaret (Rachor) Moser, who preceded him in death. John's life was defined by his love of family, commitment to Purdue, his graduate students, and his work with the Society of American Foresters (SAF).

As a youth, John was active in the Scouts and achieved the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. Following his graduation from Hagerstown High School in 1954, he pursued a distinguished academic career, earning his bachelor's degree from West Virginia University and his master's from Penn State. In 1967, he completed his PhD at Purdue University. Between his studies, John proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1963. On June 5, 1964, he married the love of his life, Joyce E. McCauley.

In 1964, John and Joyce settled in West Lafayette, Indiana, where John began a 42-year career as a Professor of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University. A respected leader in his field, John was deeply involved with the Society of American Foresters. He was instrumental in bringing the annual SAF convention to Indianapolis in 1993, "Indy in '93," and served as the organization's president in 1994. Notably, John's expertise led him to testify before the U.S. Congress in 1999 to advocate for the United States Forest Service's Forest Inventory Analysis Program.

Beyond his professional achievements, John was a devoted family man and an avid Boilermaker fan. He found great joy in gardening, woodworking, and personally crafting a special monogrammed stool for each of his 11 grandchildren.

John is survived by his wife of over 60 years, Joyce Moser of West Lafayette, IN; his children: Jana (Boyd) Davis of Dallas, TX, John L. (Brittany) Moser of Atlanta, GA, and Joel (Lori) of West Lafayette, IN. He is also survived by his cherished grandchildren: Cassie (Michael) Davis, Maebel Moser, Jack (Sarah) Davis, Oliver (Shannon) Moser, Sherman Moser, Maggie Davis, Madeline Moser, Edith Moser, Johno Moser, Ruth Moser, and Brynn Moser. His brother Joe (Sue) Moser of Hagerstown, MD.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the John W. Moser Jr. Family Scholarship. Checks should be made payable to the Purdue Foundation and mailed to: Purdue Foundation, IMO John Moser, Gift Processing, P.O. Box 772401, Detroit, MI 48277-2401. Please include "026998 Moser Scholarship" in the memo line. https://giving.purdue.edu/IMOJohnMoser

A celebration of life for John will be held on March 28, 2026, from 11 am to 2 pm on the patio at Nine Irish Brothers (119 Howard Ave, West Lafayette, IN 47906). All who knew and loved John and his family are welcome to stop by. You may leave memories and condolences at www.soller-baker.com