Obituary

Jeffrey Wayne Moorman (Jeff) passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 9, 2023, in his home in Ferndale, WA.  He had recently celebrated his 75^th birthday.

He is survived by his wife, Lynne W. Moorman, his daughters Vonni Moorman and Vicki Wiggins, his son-in-law Kellen Wiggins, and his grandchildren Bennett and Carys Wiggins.  He is forever remembered by his siblings Janice Peters and Adele Polk, along with their children, and his dear uncle, Jack Stack.  His cats, Mango and Cinder, also miss and remember his comfy lap.

During his full and varied life, Jeff placed the highest importance and took extraordinary pride in his family, attending his daughters’ sporting events, concerts, and performances through the years.  He enjoyed family motorhome camping outings, Disney trips and even a journey to Great Britain with his family during his vacation weeks.  He flew out to all his daughters’ collegiate swim championships, attended all their graduations, and took time off for family every holiday season.  He was a great socializer, who loved to chat with all kinds of people, telling and hearing different stories in turn.  He was involved with many clubs and organizations in his life, filling his time with activities and experiences that he enjoyed.  He was someone who placed a great value on excellence, which showed through the high level of achievement he reached in his academic, professional, and personal endeavors.  Most of all, though, he was delightfully quirky and will be remembered for his laughter and his stories.  Eliciting a groan from Jeff after telling a particularly “punny” joke was the highest praise.

Born on July 3, 1948, in McKeesport, PA, he was the oldest child and only son to John and Vivian Moorman.  He grew up outside Buffalo, New York, attending Frontier Central High School in Hamburg, NY.  He participated in the band, playing the clarinet and tenor saxophone, and was very involved with the drama club.  His proudest role was Algernon from The Importance of Being Earnest.  He graduated with honors in June 1966.  He attended Bucknell University and was in the ROTC for all 4 years.  After graduating in May 1970 with a B.S. in chemistry, he was commissioned in the army as a Second Lieutenant.  He served in both the Chemical Corp and the Infantry.  At one point he was stationed in Baumholder, Germany.  During his time in the Army, he was distinguished with a Sharpshooter’s Award.  On November 1, 1974, The Department of the Army awarded him the Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service in the 8th Infantry Division.  While he was stationed at Fort Lewis for his last couple of years in the Army, he fell in love with Washington State and said he was never going to move back East.  Captain Moorman received his honorable discharge on May 30, 1976.  He was the third generation of Moormans to serve in the army, as his father, John F. Moorman, served during World War II, and his grandfather, John W. Moorman served during World War I.

After his time in the Army, Jeff graduated from the University of Southern California with a Masters of Science in Systems Management on June 3, 1976.  He met his wife, Lynne Willet, at his sister Janice’s wedding in October of 1976, and they were married on March 17, 1979.  He liked that date because he said he would always remember his St. Patrick’s Day anniversary, and he did!  After the wedding, they moved right to Shoreline, WA, where the winters had considerably less snow than those they were accustomed to in upstate New York.  They welcomed their daughters Vicki, in 1983, and Vonni, in 1985.

Jeff spent his professional career in Information Technology and Business Systems Analysis with Safeco Insurance, PEMCO Insurance, and the City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development, from where he retired in 2015.  On October 21, 1991, he was awarded the designation of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) after passing the entire series of twelve national exams and completing all the insurance experience requirements.  In October 1988 he was awarded the Award for Academic Excellence for attaining one of the top four grades on one of those national exams.

He was a man, however, who was much more defined by his passionate hobbies than his work.  At various times in his life, he rode a motorcycle, had his pilot’s license, and was a navigator in amateur rally car racing.  His other hobbies included bonsai trees, birdwatching, photography, and Tai Chi.  He taught himself to play the harmonica, the guitar, and the ukulele.  He was actively involved with the 4d NTrak model railroading group, a licensed Ham Radio operator (KB7RR), on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Private Enterprise Education, and a team leader in the Shoreline Auxiliary Communications Service. After moving to Ferndale, Jeff then became a member of the Ferndale Police Volunteer Communications Group. He was actively involved in Junior Achievement and Washington Business week, teaching students elementary through high school about business and the importance of good business ethics.  In addition to being a group advisor at Washington Business Week, he also became known as “El Jefe” and was sought after as an engaging speaker on the topic of business ethics.  During his speech he auctioned off a king size Snickers bar, speared a Big Mac with a sword to illustrate the idea that there is “no free lunch,” and shot sleepy teenagers with a super soaker if they were caught snoozing during his presentation.

After his daughters both became competitive swimmers, he was certified to officiate high school, USS, and NCAA level swim competitions, and he continued to volunteer well after they graduated.  He volunteered with the Pacific Science Center’s Model Railroad show for over 30 years, co-chairing many of them.  The National Model Railroad Association awarded him a life membership in 2001 and awarded him the Superintendent’s Award 4th Division for Exceptional Meritorious Contribution Through Service with the Pacific Science Center Train Show.  Always generous with his time when it came to mentoring and teaching young people, he remained committed to the organizations as much as time permitted.

After retirement, he and Lynne moved to Ferndale, WA and loved spending time with their grandchildren, Bennett and Carys.  Jeff embraced his role as PopPop which he defined as “a regular grandfather, only better.”  In addition to playing trains, reading stories, and going to parks with the kids, he delighted in attending their gymnastics performances, ninja practices, and rugby and soccer games.  In his Cordell Park community, he was known for his dry wit, his slow walks along the wetlands, and his sharing of interesting random facts that he had accumulated over the years.  His enjoyment of laughter, tendency to tease, and love of “punny” jokes remained with him to the end.