Tom Steven Moyes

January 17, 1951 - September 20, 2016

Tom Steven Moyes passed away peacefully in his Valencia, CA home, on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 surrounded by family. Tom was born in Bakersfield, CA on January 17, 1951 to Elias Albert (Buster) Moyes, Jr. and Emma Lee Atkin. He attended both Horace Mann and Ruth Clark Harding elementary schools, Compton Jr. High School, and graduated from East Bakersfield High School in 1969. He is survived by his wife, Martha; sons, William (Janell), Douglas, and Glen; a brother, Dan (Glenda) Moyes; and sister, Julie (Scott) Gavenman; and two grandsons. Tom developed an avid interest in electronics at a young age. He was active in Boy Scouts and was a member of the Electronics Club at East High where he excelled in math and science. He was listed in the East Bakersfield High School Class of 1969 Outstanding Senior Award Winners at Graduation, winning a California State Scholarship, the Bank of America Award for Math, the Kern County Heart Association Science Award, and the Proficiency Award in Electronics. He was a member of the Debonaire Dance Club and served as the club president in 1970 and was also a member of the exhibition dance team. Tom was an accomplished photographer and photographed the Bakersfield College art magazine when he attended there. After receiving his AS degree at BC, he transferred to Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo to work on a degree in Electronics Engineering in 1971, and a year later, married Martha Ricks in June, 1972. At Cal Poly, he would alternate quarters between school and working for Rockwell International as part of Cal Poly’s Co-op program. He was hired by Rockwell upon his graduation in 1974. While working for Rockwell, he also taught a course at Bakersfield College in Microwave Electronics and subsequently completed his Master’s degree in 1978 at BYU. From 1978 until his death, he was continuously employed by defense and aerospace contractors Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. He has been honored for technical excellence and is the holder of multiple patents. The United States of America is a safer place and better defended because of Tom’s work. Tom became a registered California locksmith in recent years and planned to develop that hobby in his retirement. He was very active in various professional locksmith associations in Southern California. Tom was a man of unimpeachable integrity and compassion. He was active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in responsible callings at the ward and stake levels and was also a volunteer worker in the Los Angeles Temple for over 20 years. His humor and dry wit, humility, wisdom, natural reserve, and basic goodness will be sorely missed by all those who knew and loved him. Memorial services will be held at 9:30 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 24443 McBean Parkway, Santa Clarita, CA on Friday, September 30, 2016 followed by a graveside service and interment at Greenlawn Cemetery at 3700 River Blvd. in Bakersfield, CA at 1:30 p.m. the same day.