Moore, James C., 1915-1969

Biographical note

James C. (J.C.) Moore Jr. was born on July 15, 1915 in Smithville, Tennessee. He received his A.A. from David Lipscomb College in 1935, and subsequently was employed by the International Harvester Company until 1941.

From 1941 to 1945, Moore served in the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant, fighting in Europe during World War II. Upon his return he became the business manager at David Lipscomb College, serving from 1946 to 1948. From 1949 to 1952, Moore returned to Europe as a missionary for the Church of Christ in Frankfurt, Germany. During his time there, Moore assisted in the construction of 8 churches in various German cities.

Moore received his B.A. in business administration from Vanderbilt University in 1952, and worked as the manager of the Sherrod Hardware Company in Lubbock, Texas, until 1956. He then received the position of Assistant to the President of Harding College, in Searcy, Arkansas, where he was employed from 1956 to 1958.

In 1958, Moore took the position of College Controller at Pepperdine University. In 1967, he was promoted to Vice President for Planning at Pepperdine, and worked extensively towards the establishment of the Malibu campus. During his 11 years at Pepperdine, Moore served on the scholarship committee, and helped establish the Heidelberg International Program at Pepperdine. In 1966, the Heidelberg site was named "Moore Haus" in his honor. He also received an M.A. in Education from Pepperdine in 1969.

In 1969, Moore decided to leave Pepperdine to serve as President of Columbia Christian College, a small school in Portland, Oregon. Tragically, before he could start his new position, he suffered a heart attack and died on July 10, 1969. Moore was married to Dorothy Whitsell in 1941, and they had two children, Gwendolyn and James C. Moore III.

From the guide to the James C. Moore papers, 1934-1971, 1956-1971, (Pepperdine University. Special Collections and University Archives.)