Dr. David Ross Moir

- Moir, Dr. David Ross, 84 Died peacefully at home in St. Paul with his family beside him on May 24, 2003. Survived by Erin, his wife of 59 years, children Judy McLaughlin, Brian Moir, Andy Moir (Christine Callaghan), Rita Moir, Donna Moir (Steve Krambeer), and grandchildren David McLaughlin, Erin Moir Krambeer and Maggie Moir Krambeer, many relatives in Canada and the U.S., and extended family of Barb and Bob Lasser, Michael and Marty McLaughlin, Patricia and Roger Salay, Terry and Laura McLaughlin, Carol McLaughlin, Cass McLaughlin, Katie McLaughlin, and super grandpa to Ryan, Katie, Anne, Kristi, Brian, Roscoe, Daniel and Nicolas. Predeceased by father and mother Andrew and Margaret (Tingley) Moir, sisters Alice and Evelyn, brothers John and Bruce, grandson William McLaughlin and step grandson John McLaughlin, and son-in-law Michael McLaughlin. He also leaves behind many family friends in the St. Paul neighborhood of Ramsey Hill, the School Section Lake area of Kimball, and in Fargo, Brandon, and Winnipeg. Ross's great passion was for the natural world. He loved to recall for friends (and complete strangers) the stories of his botanical explorations of the Hudson Bay. A botanist with his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Manitoba, and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota, he taught at the U of M's biological station at Itasca State Park, at North Dakota State University, was Dean of Science at Brandon University in Manitoba, and guest lecturer at the University of Massachusetts. His love of the forests, plants and water carried through to the family lake place in Kimball, where he made paths through the woods (often using his old truck to widen them), and named them after the trees. His passion for the woods extended naturally to a great talent for woodworking. He could take a broken thing and make it beautiful. After retirement from academic life, he renovated Erin's Merle Norman stores, the family home, and did woodworking for friends and family. He loved vegetable gardening, a skill he learned from his father, and loved to travel, taking several trips to Ireland, and many to Nova Scotia. He and Erin instilled in their children a respect for hard work, a fierce determination to carry through, and a love for family and community. His need to address the difficult heart of a matter, and then move on to tears or laughter, helped us all in the hardest of times. Born in Winnipeg on Sept. 25, 1918, Ross was raised in a strict Scottish Presbyterian family. Though he moved toward science and away from religion, he maintained a love of religious music, especially songs like The Old Rugged Cross, which comforted him in his last days. Memorials in his name may be made to the Lexington Outreach Library, 1080 University Ave. W., St. Paul, Minnesota 55104, or to the donor's choice. Ross wished to be cremated. He will be interred at a private ceremony at Oakland Cemetery. A public celebration of his life will be held from 4-8 pm (program at 6 pm) at 275 Summit Ave. in St. Paul on Thursday, May 29.