Billy Lee Ray Moore

The family of Billy Lee Ray Moore is saddened to report that the Lord called him home on Saturday October 19th in the early hours of the morning. He passed peacefully in his sleep at home lying next to his wife of 42 years, Donna Moore in Corona, CA. Billy fought a courageous battle over many years, never once complaining, with the side effects of agent orange exposure from service in the Air Force with duty in Viet Nam.

Born to Billy Fred Thompson Moore and Rose Edna Mabel Moore in Denver, CO on November 18, 1946 Billy passed just shy of his 78th birthday. Billy attended grade school and Junior High in Colorado but would later move with his family to California where he attended and graduated from Downey High School. Shortly after graduation from High School Billy married and enlisted in the United States Air Force serving as a combat aerial photographer in Viet Nam performing surveillance from the backseat of an F-105 reconnaissance plane while upside down over Hanoi in the war effort to identify the location of enemy surface to air missile locations. He would tell you the prayers of his mother and other family members ensured his safe return from the Viet Nam theater of combat. Upon return from Viet Nam Billy worked in the AMF bowling ball factory and attended California State University Fullerton earning a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. Billy’s initial professional pursuits centered on commercial consumer banking then moved to the consumer mortgage lending business with interim efforts in entrepreneurship. His career culminated as a highly respected consumer mortgage executive who was revered for his ability to lead and coach others to success.

Billy was involved in his community personally and professionally. He coached youth sports for years to include Little League Baseball for nearly 25 years, UPWARD Basketball, and youth soccer. Further he gave hundreds if not thousands of hours to his children’s and grandchildren’s recitals, plays, school programs etc. Billy put family first and wanted each of his children and grandchildren to know they were loved and cared about. Billy was also highly respected in the family for organizing the annual family dove hunt in the Imperial Valley of California. He recognized that this annual tradition served to bind the generations together with a common experience and relished in the time he spent with his brother in law, sons, nephews, grandchildren and even those we “adopted” on the family hunt. But the idea of family extended beyond blood for Billy. His professional family knew him as a man that could be counted on to give without expectation of return for the the greater good as evidenced by his dedicated service to the California Mortgage Brokers Association where he served in a variety of positions to include President. As a veteran, Billy was passionate about veteran causes and supported the Wounded Warrior Project. Billy was an avid outdoorsman and loved hunting, fishing, and shooting sports while later in his life when his health declined he became and avid numismatist and enjoyed RV camping. His travels took him to many of the majestic beauties of this country he loved so dearly.

Billy is survived by his wife Donna, Four sons and daughter, Will, Rob, Jeffrey, Brian and Dana, Three sisters, Sharon, Kathy, and Melody; 20 grandchildren Lindsay, Matthew, Jennifer, Sy, Courtney, Megan, Cody, Callie, Jessica, Trip, Tyler, Mickey, Eli, JJ, Ari, Briana, Hudson, Ian, Ethan, Violet, Emma;12 Great Grand Children Cooper, Grace, Odin, Clayton, Noah, Brian, Levi, Darwin Layla, Jackson, River Tate, Micah, Arden

Memorial Services will be held November 7, 2024 at Thomas Miller Mortuary, 1118 East Sixth Street Corona, CA at 11:00 AM. Graveside Services will follow at 2:15 PM at the Riverside National Cemetery located at 22495 Van Buren Blvd, Riverside, CA 92518.

Billy asked that any in lieu of flowers please make a donation to either the Wounded Warrior Project or the American Cancer Society