William B. Moore's Obituary
William B. Moore, 85, Chicago corporate attorney and supporter of the railroad industry, died peacefully April 12, 2026, at Amavida at Lakes Park in Fort Myers, Florida, attended by his wife of 62 years, Barbara Matthys Moore and his son Kyle. His wife, children and grandchildren were with him during his last days and he will be lovingly remembered by his family.
He was born on March 4, 1941, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to the late Winston Cook and Jane Kauffman Moore. He was the oldest of three sons that included Thomas (Barbara Hunt) Jay Moore and the late John (Monica Ploeser) Baker Moore.
He is survived by his wife, Barbara Matthys Moore; three children, Kyle (Michelle) Moore of Madison, Alabama; Kerry (Nathan Finch) Moore of Bethesda, Maryland; and Bradley (Sarah) Moore of Margaretville, New York. He also leaves eight grandchildren, Kelsey Moore, Hailey Moore, Thomas Moore, Natalie Moore, Alexandra Finch, William Finch, Adelaine and Lucinda Moore.
After graduating from Stanford University in 1963 and the University of Illinois College of Law in 1966, he started his legal career as a corporate attorney for Trans Union, then a holding company for the Union Tank Car Company, and later a major credit reporting firm. He went on to a long career serving as corporate counsel, corporate secretary, and other posts with Chicago-based Whitman Corporation (formerly IC Industries), where he served as senior vice president, secretary, and general counsel. He retired from Whitman in 1999.
In addition, he engaged in public service positions and activity before and after retirement, including serving as a director of the American Society of Corporate Secretaries, a trustee of Wayland Academy in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, a board member of the High Speed Rail Alliance, Chicago, Illinois and a longtime member of the Illinois Railway Museum, Union Illinois.
He was an avid collector of baseball cards, coins, and stamps and he had a life-long passion for all things relating to the railroad. He built railroad models, photographed steam locomotives across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and collected a wide variety of railroad memorabilia and historical materials. He strongly supported the American railway system and sought to expand and enhance these services across the nation.
Private family services will be held in Ludlow, Vermont. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in honor of William B. Moore to Wayland Academy, 101 N. University Avenue, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin 53916 (https://www.wayland.org/support-wayland) or the Illinois Railway Museum, 7000 Olson Road, Union, Illinois 60180 (https://www.irm.org/fundraising/ ).
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