Larry Moorman was born in San Francisco on February 28, 1940. He was the son of Charles and Margaret Moorman and grew up on Hermann Street in San Francisco. Hermann Street was only a short distance from Market Street where so much was going on. Sometimes a very young Larry and one of his brothers would go down to Market Street to visit a store that had a large cabinet with a screen showing something that they could see from the outside window. They were fascinated. It was Television! Also, there were many Navy sailors and officers in the city because World War II had only just ended in the Pacific. But, when that war ended, the Navy remained based in San Francisco much longer, because of the Korean War and then the Vietnam War, that was to sweep up so many of Larry’s generation. Once in a while, Larry’s Dad would take him and his brothers out to the Sutro Baths where they could swim and play in the indoor pools. As a small boy, Larry also remembered listening for a horse’s hoofs as it pulled a wagon with the peddler and his many supplies and services for the families on Hermann Street. At the end of Hermann Street was the San Francisco State Teacher’s College. The college was moved later to its current location near Lake Merced and is now San Francisco State and was to be important to the adult Larry Moorman.
Larry and his older brothers, Ambrose and Adrian (Bud), and his twin Jerry, went to the local Catholic elementary school. When Larry finished elementary school, he believed that he had a calling to the priesthood and attended minor and major Catholic seminaries in the Bay Area. Larry made many friends there and continued those friendships for the rest of his life. By the time he completed those studies, he realized that he wanted to explore a different way to contribute to others and Was accepted at San Francisco State in a Master’s program. Larry obtained his Humanities M.A. toward the end of the 60’s.
During that decade, there were many student and faculty strikes and demonstrations at San Francisco State against the Vietnam war. Many young men were drafted. When Larry was called, he met with his draft Board and declared he was a conscientious objector, and as allowed under the service standards, Larry requested to serve. But, Larry was not contacted again by his draft board. Larry then sent out his letters and documents to many community colleges. He was interviewed by and was hired as a Humanities instructor by Yuba Community College in Marysville, California.
Larry Moorman was an active and creative instructor throughout his long tenure at Yuba College. He loved teaching students and enjoyed working with other members of the faculty.
He and other instructors created and experimented with a “Core College” where they would all plan and teach together. Larry continued to develop his teaching content and style and often produced culture-subject books. But he finally wrote and produced his own Humanities text book. “Synthesis, Learning the Habit of Making Connections” was printed in 1985 by Yuba College. He introduced this text book as “a critical review of the fundamental values of western culture. Larry said that his text book continued to be used by at least one humanities teacher after Larry retired.
In addition to his many creative teaching involvements, Larry Moorman also participated in campus activities and programs. Larry acted in college theater and sang in the college chorus. He helped in the formation of and was a supporter of the gay student club. As a result of Larry’s helping those gay students, Larry received several death threats.
During vacation periods, he truly loved taking photographic trips in the United States and Europe in order to pursue his study of culture. He photographed all of the ruins and ancient architecture that fascinated him.
In the US Southwest, Larry visited such places as the prehistoric Anasazi cliff dwellings at the four corners area of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. But,one of the most interesting is the place considered to be one of the oldest continually occupied dwellings in the area, the Acoma pueblo which is built on top of a sheer sandstone bluff, some367 feet above the valley. Its history goes back to 1150 AD.
On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in France, the ancient construction began on the Notre Dame Gothic Cathedral in Paris, France. Records of this cathedral showed that the corner stones were placed in 1163 AD. This beautiful Gothic cathedral has undergone many changes and repairs of damage over centuries.
Larry also loved to travel to such historic European sites as The Pantheon in Rome which was rebuilt several times during the Roman Empire and since then. It is now a Catholic Church. The Pantheon is believed to be the best preserved and the largest Roman dome.
The unique Hagia Sophia in Istanbul was originally a Christian church. It was damaged many times by attacks and is now a mosque. Hagia Sophia is considered to be a masterpiece of Bysintine architecture.
Larry enjoyed his travels all over again when he got home and could use his sketches and Photographs to take the time and paint using watercolors.
Larry retired in 1999 after some 30 years of teaching. He continued pursuing his love and knowledge of Western culture and sharing with his friends and with local artists. He bought a condo in Santa Cruz county and continued to enjoy some of his most important activities, traveling, photographing, sketching, painting and constructing models of historical buildings and ships. He showed his art online. His friends and family were also the beneficiaries of some of his art.
One day, in sharing one of his dreams with a friend, Larry said that in this dream, he was traveling somewhere. He didn’t know where and didn’t know if he was prepared. A man appeared to him and said, “You have everything you need for your journey”.
And so he had. He was a good man who loved to teach and had his entire life example and his good works with him.
Larry Moorman died in his sleep on the Winter Solstice, December 21, 2023. The Winter Solstice is the beginning of a new year of light and growth. Larry was ready.
His neighbor found him when he didn’t answer his phone. Larry looked asleep and his face wore an expression of peace.
Larry Moorman was 83.
He will be missed by his partner, his niece and her family, his nephews, his many cousins, his colleagues from Yuba College, his former wife, his many friends, and many countless students for whom he taught western culture for so many years.
Author: gqlshare
https://www.mercurynews.com/obituaries/lawrence-larry-alan-moorman-aptos-ca/