Former OCC president Robert B. Moore dies

Kris O’Donnell

Administrators, students, community members and friends on Wednesday

mourned the death of a man who put Orange Coast College on the map.

Robert B. Moore, the longest serving president in OCC’s 55-year

history, died at his retirement home in Ashland, Oregon, on Tuesday.

He was 86.

Known affectionately as Dr. Bob to students and staff, Moore

witnessed a tenfold increase in enrollment, from 3,200 students in

1964 to more than 30,000 in 1982.

“I arrived there a year after [Moore], and he taught me about

patience, goodwill, fairness and understanding,” said David Grant, a

longtime friend and OCC’s president from 1989 to 1997.

“During his tenure, OCC experienced tremendous expansion, and I

recall how Bob used to say, ‘We’re not just building buildings, we

have to make life better for students,’” Grant said. “If you were

there on campus late in the evening, you’d always see his light on.

He was always the last person to leave campus.”

Grant recalled a day when, even though OCC had banned dogs on

campus, Moore reached down and started petting one.

“Since it’s here, you might as well play with it,” Moore had said.

A testimonial to Moore’s dedication to the college and his love

for the performing arts was the renaming of the OCC Auditorium as the

Robert B. Moore Theatre in 1982.

“Moore was involved in more than just campus activities -- he

participated in chamber of commerce and the city’s Development

Committee,” Grant continued.

A 22-year Costa Mesa resident, Moore served as president of Costa

Mesa’s United Fund drive and as president of the Southern California

Industry Education Council.

In 1972, Moore received Costa Mesa’s Outstanding Citizen Award, as

well as Northern Arizona University’s Distinguished Alumni Award. In

1982, Moore received Cypress College’s President’s Award.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to

the Dr. Robert B. Moore Scholarship Foundation in care of the OCC

Foundation, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

* KRIS O’DONNELL is a Daily Pilot intern. He can be reached at

Kris.Odonnell@latimes.com.