Surrounded by family and friends, longtime Claremont resident Lewis Collin Moore died on March 22, 2009 at Asistencia Villa Rehabilitation and Care Center in Redlands. He was 83.

Mr. Moore was born in the Panama Canal Zone on March 3, 1926. Involved in a varied and interesting career as a young engineer, he worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Project while a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley.

After a number of years working in the aerospace industry, Mr. Moore established a successful career as a consulting engineer.

In this capacity, he was often called upon to be an expert witness in court cases involving a variety of accidents: automobile, locomotives, airplanes, elevators and more. After examining a disaster scene, Mr. Moore would reconstruct the accident and provide court testimony.

Active in Democratic Party politics, Mr. Moore was elected to the Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee and appointed to the California Democratic State Central Committee.

“He was a very gentle, caring person, and very interested in all kinds of social issues, social justice,” said former colleague and longtime friend Kit Tournay of Claremont. “He was really a true democrat and worked in a number of local campaigns.”

Mr. Moore also served on the board of directors for the San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District.

According to Mr. Moore’s daughter, Cynthia Moore, her father strove to live fully until the end. This included active involvement in the Shakespeare Club and the Writing Club at his retirement community in Redlands. With the writing group, Mr. Moore had been working on his memoir, which, ultimately, he didn’t have the chance to finish.

“It’s a well known thing, too late we get wise,” quoted Mr. Moore’s wife, Lorraine Moore, from his memoir.

“Well known for his input on the political scene, his wide-ranging curiosity and dry humor, Collin had his own charm,” shared his daughter. “We will remember this keenly intelligent, keenly opinionated and, yes, very stubborn man with his wry smiles. We will particularly miss him when strains of opera are overheard.”

Mr. Moore is survived by his wife of 22 years, Lorraine Moore of Redlands; his son, Roger Moore of Colorado; his daughters, Elaine Hebard of New Mexico and Cynthia Moore of Delaware; his stepsons, Bud Trask of Arroyo Grande and Brad Trask of Loma Linda; his stepdaughters, Brenda Tesch of Arroyo Grande and Bonnie Cornett of Yucaipa; and by his 3 sons-in-law, 2 daughters-in-law, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held on March 31, 2009 at the First Baptist Church of Yucaipa.