Beth Amanda Moore

On December 28th, Beth Amanda Moore, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, friend to all, and loved by many, passed peacefully at her home in Santa Barbara after an extended battle with cancer. She was sixty-five years old. Born to Patricia and George Moore in Akron, Ohio on February 6th, 1957, Beth lived an extraordinary life dedicated to helping those in need, her family, and her cherished daughter, Laura Moore. Indeed, Beth epitomized self-sacrifice and putting others before oneself in order to ensure equity and justice in this world. When Beth was only a few months old her family packed up all their belongings in a cargo ship container bound for Japan and sailed to Tokyo. Patricia, Beth’s mother, traveled alone with her three oldest children on the ship and met George in Japan where he had been promoted to Vice President of Goodyear Tire Company. Growing up in postwar Japan was eye opening and instilled within Beth a deep sense of empathy. In Japan, Beth also found tremendous adventure and excitement. Her love of bike riding emerged in these early years as Beth rode through the streets of Tokyo and Kobe in search of adventure. From the young age of just five, Beth would follow her older brother John on the crowded commuter trains each morning and afternoon to their beloved The American School in Japan (ASIJ). Life in Japan was exhilarating for Beth who carried the wonderful friendships made and cherished memories with her for the rest of her life. At the age of eleven, Beth and her family moved back to the United States and settled in Los Alamitos, California. Tragically, her family’s final days in Japan were defined by the death of Beth’s cousin, who died while serving in Vietnam just days before his leave. This moment, as well as the family’s return to the US in the midst of the tumultuous events of the summer of 1968, were the seeds of Beth’s lifetime commitment to the movements for civil rights and against war and poverty. As Beth’s father, George, eloquently quoted in his speech to the graduating class at ASIJ in 1968: “What the world needs now is love, sweet love…” and it was Beth, who heeded this demand more intensely than anyone and made it a defining tenet for the remainder of her life. It was also in Los Alamitos where Beth, surrounded by friends and loved ones, developed into a phenomenal and lifelong athlete. Whether playing football on Paseo Bonita–few people could throw a spiral like Beth–or spending countless hours playing one-on-one against her younger brother Michael in the driveway, sports defined Beth’s life until the very end. Beth was a standout athlete in high school where she played varsity softball, tennis, basketball, and even field hockey. She was also an avid body surfer and could often be found surfing on large swell days at Huntington Beach or Santa Monica beach. In college, Beth picked up running, which would become one of her greatest and constant joys. She completed multiple marathons including the arduous San Francisco marathon three times and qualified for the Boston Marathon. In fact, Beth never missed a morning run as in her opinion there was no better way to start her day than running the hills of Oakland or on the beaches of Santa Barbara with her beloved dogs–Pippi, Sam, Gracie, and Charlie– by her side. Beth was most proficient in basketball and was recruited to play at the University of California, Los Angeles by Kenny Washington in 1975. As a pass first and defensive-minded point guard, Beth contributed mightily to the Bruins National Championship in 1978. Beth then became a co-captain of the nationally ranked team the following season and upon graduation was “only the second four-year varsity player in UCLA history.” In 1979, Beth was awarded the Outstanding Senior Award upon her graduation from UCLA. Commended as having a “nearly perfect 3.9 grade point average and keen understanding of the intricacies of the fast break,” the UCLA Department of Women’s Intercollegiate Athletics described Beth as being “the most outstanding candidate the Department has ever had” for the prestigious award. After graduating, Beth attended Stanford Law School where she gained a deeper appreciation for how the law can both ameliorate and worsen the condition or experiences of those less fortunate. Beth experienced this firsthand when she joined the East Palo Alto Community Law Project at Stanford, which was her first introduction to the legal system at work. Beth was also part of the experimental “Curriculum B” program for first-year law students initiated by Dean Paul Brest. Beth’s passion for the law and commitment to her family sadly collided when Beth’s father was diagnosed with a mental illness and found himself subjugated to the challenges of the criminal justice system. With the passion and intense determination that would become Beth’s defining characteristics as an attorney, Beth dedicated herself to helping her father, which gave her an intimate understanding of the challenges that the mentally ill face in our criminal justice system. Beth continued her legal work at the Main Street Law building in Santa Monica where she would work on and off for three decades. She loved the legal community and the people she worked with there. When she moved to the Bay Area, Beth also committed herself to anti-death penalty work and in a very different realm found immense joy in practicing adoption law after the birth of her daughter. Despite being diagnosed with cancer over thirty years ago, Beth continued to practice law and was dedicated to pro bono work until the final weeks of her life. Her clients became like family to Beth and she cared so deeply about those who were fortunate enough to have her as their attorney. In 1988, Beth’s life was transformed when she gave birth to her one and only daughter, Laura. For the remainder of her life, Beth dedicated herself fully to being the absolute best mother anyone could ever ask for and supported Laura in all of her dreams. The last several years of Beth’s life were spent living in Santa Barbara near her brother, mother, and daughter. She provided support, encouragement, and pro bono legal advice to many, including numerous UC Santa Barbara students who counted on Beth's unwavering support. The final nine months of Beth’s life were filled with the wonderful joys of being a grandmother to her grandson, Leigh. While her health was ailing, Beth always found the time and energy to enjoy her grandson. As one looks at the baby pictures of her it is hard to deny the uncanny resemblance that Leigh has to Beth as a child. It is with this fact and the incredible memories shared in these last months that the legacy of Beth will live on in her grandson. Anyone who was lucky enough to know Beth knew they had a friend who genuinely cared and was interested in their wellbeing. Certainly, so many people counted on Beth for friendship, advice, counsel, love, support, and inspiration. During her courageous and unrelenting battle with cancer, Beth exhibited a supernatural level of strength, resiliency, and determination to live to see her daughter grow up and support her in all of her accomplishments. Indeed, it was Beth’s resounding love for her daughter that gave her the strength to battle the disease for so long and with so much perseverance; it is the intensity and depth of this love that Beth exhibited that Laura, Casey, Leigh, and all those who loved Beth dearly will cherish and carry with them forever. Beth is preceded in death by her parents, Patricia and George Moore. She is survived by her daughter, Laura Moore, son-in-law, Casey Ortiz, grandson, Leigh Moore Ortiz, and her three brothers, Craig Moore of Bellingham, WA, John Moore of San Diego, CA, and Michael Moore of Fountain Valley, CA, in addition to a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins whom she adored. A celebration of Beth’s life and the love her family and friends have for her is planned for Saturday, February 18th at 11:00 am at the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Santa Barbara, California at 1300 East Valley Road.

Beth Amanda Moore

February 6, 1957 - December 28, 2022