Bernard Webster Moulton
September 29, 1920 - December 28, 2008
Retired Navy Capt. Bernard Webster Moulton, father of Steamboat Springs resident David Thorn Moulton, passed on to the arms of his Lord on Dec. 28, 2008, at The Arbor of Baywoods in Annapolis, Md. He was 88.
Captain Bernie was born Sept. 29, 1920, in Syracuse, N.Y. Son of the late Webster Collins Moulton and Hazel Marie Cohn Moulton, Captain Bernie completed high school in Syracuse. He then completed one year at Massachusetts Institute of Technology before entering the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated in June 1942 with the Class of 1943 and went immediately to serve in World War II above the USS Herndon. He served on escort duty on many North Atlantic convoys and took part in the invasions of Normandy, southern France and Gela, Sicily. Near the end of WWII, he transferred to the USS Thompson in the Pacific. He returned to complete Navy postgraduate school in Annapolis, Md., and earned his master's degree in ordnance engineering at MIT.
He served on active duty in the Navy for 30 years. A dedicated line officer, he served on the destroyers Herndon, Thompson, Hugh Purvis and as ComDesDiv 92/ComDexRon 9. He also served on the cruisers Pittsburgh and Saint Paul. During his stints on land, he served as RINSORD; at BUORD/BuWeapons on the SAM Missile Production and M Maintenance; COMNAVFOR Japan; SMS Project Plans, Program and Budget; COMFLETRAGRU WestPac, Yokosuka, Japan; and finally COMNAVORDSYSCOM. He retired from the Navy in June 1972 and went to work for Wheeler Industries until his second retirement in 1988.
An avid sailor, Captain Bernie sailed anything with sails, anywhere. He started boating at the age of 6, sailed a rowboat at 8, canoe at 10 and owned an Olympic 14-foot catboat at 12. At MIT, he sailed Tech dinghies, then during his 3 years at the Naval Academy he earned his varsity "N" on the Navy Dinghy Team and racing crew of HIGHLAND LIGHT, VAMARIE and the Luders 44-foot yawl team. While in Yokosuka he raced on KAZAHAYA and served as commodore of the Yokosuka Yacht Club. He also served as commodore of the U.S. Navy Sailing Association. Upon retirement, he purchased his beloved Pearson 35 CANEEL and sailed everywhere in the Cheaspeake Bay. He continued his active support of the USNSA, Naval Academy Sailing Squadron and Annapolis Naval Sailing Association, USSA, CBYRA, as well as U.S. Naval Institute.
As soon as his grandchildren were born, he took them out on CANEEL for their first sails. Captain Bernie was also very good at adopting neophytes to sailing. He wanted everyone to love and respect the sea as much as he did.
He is survived by his bellowed wife, Jane Evans Thorn Moulton, of Annapolis, Md.; the children he adored: daughter, Ann Moulton Elliott and her husband, Stephen Wallace Elliott, of Ewing, N.J., and son, David Thorn Moulton and his wife, Tresa Ann Bass Moulton, of Steamboat Springs; grandchildren, GT M. Miner III, of Ewing, N.J.; James Webster Miner, of Media, Pa.; Christopher Thorn Moulton, of Arcata, Calif.; Jennifer Moulton Barton and her husband, George Barton, of Mequon, Wis.; Jennifer and Christopher's mother, Dinata Dail Moulton Misovec, and her husband, Andrew Misovec, of Marathon, Fla.; step-grandson Whitney Elliott, of Newark, N.J.; his beloved "baby" sister, Marion Moulton McPheeters, and her husband, Donald W. McPheeters, of Ithaca, N.Y.; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. He also leaves, with great affection, his church community/second family, Christ the King Reformed Episcopal Church, of Pasadena, Md., his Pastor Greg Carr, his wife, Peggy, and their children and grandchildren, who all knew him as Grandpa or just Captain Bernie.
Military services were held Friday at the U.S. Naval Academy Columbarium. A "Going Home Celebration" was held Saturday at Christ the King, www.ctkrec.org.
In lieu of flowers, and in keeping with Captain Bernie's life's work of paying it forward, please make a donation to the church or charity of your choice.
Funeral arrangements are through Hardesty Funeral Homes in Annapolis, Md. Online condolences may be placed at www.hardestyfuneralhome.com.
