In memoriam: Richard De Moura

ANR Employee News

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News for UC Agriculture & Natural Resources employees.

Author: Pamela Kan-Rice

Published on: August 22, 2017

Rich De Moura

Richard "Rich" Lee De Moura, a retired staff research associate in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Davis, died on July 21, 2017, at age 78.

De Moura worked with many UC ANR specialists and advisors on cost and return studies over the years.

He was born in Merced and raised in Chowchilla on a dairy farm where he would wake up every morning before dawn to milk the cows. He earned his B.S. in plant science at Fresno State University in 1963.

After graduation, he began working for UC Davis as a plant breeder in the Department of Agronomy and Range Science under Francis Smith. In 1983, De Moura earned his M.S. in agronomy and later left the university. He returned in 2001 as a staff research associate to work with Karen Klonsky, UC Cooperative Extension agricultural economics specialist, on the Cost and Return Studies Project until he retired in 2014 with almost 38 years of university service.

“He loved the work he did and the people he worked with,” said his son, Matthew De Moura. “He was extremely proud to be part of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics and to work for Karen Klonsky.”

De Moura is survived by his wife, Phyllis, daughter Caryn and son Matthew.

Tags: August 2017 (9), Rich De Moura (1)

Comments: 3

Comments:

by Franz Niederholzer

on August 31, 2017 at 8:46 PM

I enjoyed working with Rich and am sad to learn of his passing. The Cost and Return Studies that he and Karen developed with support from Farm Advisors were often the first thing I handed growers when they asked questions about producing a particular crop. Thanks, Rich!

by Joe Connell

on September 2, 2017 at 6:19 PM

Rich and Karen were a great team working alongside the Farm Advisors to produce cost studies with practical input from the industry. A group of Farm Advisors each met with several growers and collected real life data from them before meeting with Rich. Armed with that information a great discussion commenced and outstanding cost studies were produced. You had a great impact Rich, your work product was highly valued, and you are missed!

by Rachel B. Elkins

on October 27, 2017 at 8:03 PM

Upon just learning of this, I am so sad about Rich's passing. We worked closely together on multiple cost studies relating to pear and walnut, some extremely complex and creative. He, along with Karen, were instrumental in helping me translate field data into dollars and cents, elevating the level of impact my research has on clientele. Rich was dedicated, patient, intellectually astute, and most of all, the nicest gentleman you could ever hope to meet. He was a real partner to Karen. He was so proud of his family; they were his first priority. Thanks to them for sharing their husband and father with all of us.