Dixieland, oatmeal at Bob’s Red Mill to celebrate Bob Moore’s life

Jenna Deml
·2 min read

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Bob Moore’s life was celebrated with 2 of the things he loved most: oatmeal and Dixieland.

Longtime friends and family — often both — gathered Saturday morning at the Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store in Milwaukie to honor the life and legacy of the company’s founder who passed away on Feb. 10 at age 94.

Employee-owner Cassidy Stockton of Bob's Red Mill talks about Bob Moore during the celebration of his life, February 24, 2024 (KOIN)
Employee-owner Cassidy Stockton of Bob’s Red Mill talks about Bob Moore during the celebration of his life, February 24, 2024 (KOIN)

Cassidy Stockton, one of the employee-owners who worked with Bob for about 20 years, said everyone gathered Saturday “to celebrate how much of an impact he had on us as employee-owners and our community.”

The store was packed early with people who felt like they knew him.

“Today people seem to have a lot of smiles and there is a lot of joy around remembering a man who made a big impact on them,” Stockton told KOIN 6 News. “We do have a live Dixieland band, his favorite and we have a free oatmeal bar, his favorite. The man ate oatmeal every day. “

She said Bob Moore “changed my life trajectory. To see how he impacted the community and all of the different people, he would come in everyday and have lunch. He would meet people all the time here, so it’s neat to see old faces from the company and new faces from the community and sharing their stories about what a difference he made in their lives.”

A Dixieland band plays at Bob's Red Mill during the celebration of Bob Moore's life, February 24, 2024 (KOIN)
A Dixieland band plays at Bob’s Red Mill during the celebration of Bob Moore’s life, February 24, 2024 (KOIN)

What set him apart, she said, was his common touch.

“He knew our kids’ names, our dogs’ names. He was a very personable man. You just felt like you were close with him and that’s unusual with a CEO.”

Moore took his love of healthy foods and milling whole grains to found his company in 1978. It quickly grew from just serving the Portland region to being a global food brand with more than 200 products in more than 70 countries.

Moore was easy to recognize, as he regularly wore a red vest, cap, a beard and a bolo tie — just like the image on millions of packages of milled whole grain products from oatmeal to flour.

A figurine of Bob Moore inside Bob's Red Mill in Milwaukie, February 24, 2024 (KOIN)
A figurine of Bob Moore inside Bob’s Red Mill in Milwaukie, February 24, 2024 (KOIN)

Influential figures who have impacted Black history in Oregon, part 4

“Bob’s legacy will live on forever in all of us who had the opportunity to work with him and is infused into the Bob’s Red Mill brand,” Bob’s Red Mill CEO Trey Winthrop said in a statement. “He did everything in his power to leave us on a strong path forward. All of us feel responsible and motivated to preserve his old-world approach to unprocessed foods; his commitment to pure, high-quality ingredients; and his generosity to employee owners and educational organizations focused on nutritional health.”

He is survived by his three sons, Ken, Bob, Jr., and David; daughters-in-law Dora, Barbara, Ashleigh and Terry; 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.