George Edward Moss
November 13, 1931 - August 25, 2021
George Edward “Buddy” Moss
George Edward Moss, affectionally known as “Buddy,” passed peacefully on August 25, 2021 at home in La Cañada Flintridge, California. He was 89. Buddy was born in November 1931 in Los Angeles. He attended Harvard-Westlake High School from 1941 to 1948, then graduated from Pomona College with a degree in economics in 1952. Following college, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant at Ft. Benning, and then promoted to 1st Lieutenant at Camp Irwin.
Upon returning home from his service in the military, he started working as a driller’s helper in his father’s business, Roscoe Moss Company, and soon progressed to assistant supervisor of manufacturing. In 1977, he and his late brother Roscoe “Rocky” Moss became co-presidents of the company. They had a well-respected business relationship that helped steer the company from a regional water well drilling contractor in California to an internationally respected leader in manufacturing of water well casing and screen. In 1990, as chairman, he oversaw the company’s long-term strategic planning. Buddy absolutely loved the water business and could talk at length about the subject to anyone who would listen. He was truly a water historian. He authored “A Guide to Water Well Casing and Screen Selection,” the “Handbook of Ground Water Development,” and edited and contributed to “The Engineers’ Guide to Water Well Design.”
He also provided guidance as a board member for San Jose Water Company, Roscoe Moss Company, Geothermal Survey, Inc., American Water Works Association, and American Ground Water Trust (Chairman Emeritus).
Buddy was proud of his alma mater, Pomona College, and was deeply grateful for the education he received. He supported and gave back to the school long after he had graduated. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees from 1995-2004 and was vice chair from 2001-2004 before he transitioned to a trustee emeritus. Many programs were made possible through his generous philanthropic support, including the establishment of the Buddy E. Moss Community Partnerships Fund, the Henry G. Lee ’37 Professorship in Poetry, the Peter W. Stanley Chair of Linguistics and Cognitive Science, and the Roscoe Moss Professorship in Chemistry.
In addition to his services at his alma mater, Buddy also left an indelible mark on many other Southern California institutions, including Harvard-Westlake High School; Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara; Huntington Hospital; and the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens.
Buddy was the ultimate adventurer, traveling extensively throughout the world. He was an avid glider pilot and was a founding member of the Southern California Soaring Academy. Because of his love of soaring and enthusiasm for the Soaring Academy’s nonprofit missions, thousands of wounded veterans and STEM students have benefitted greatly. He also enjoyed trekking, hiking, fishing, reading, gardening, and nurturing lifelong friendships.
In his later years, Buddy loved to sing aloud his favorite song, “My Way” by Frank Sinatra. The song could not better reflect how he lived his life. He truly did it all his way.
Buddy is survived by his wife of 11 years Thuy Moss, his children John K. Moss and George “Ted” Moss, Jr., and his daughter-in-law Anne Moss. His granddaughter Danielle Moss lovingly wrote, “George, but many knew him as Buddy, was influential in many people’s lives in different realms. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend, and even a business mentor. These were just a few roles he played in people’s lives, but his giving nature and love for his family will forever be his legacy.”