Lenard E. Moen

Lenard Evert Moen was born on November 22, 1923 in Long Beach, California to Wilbur and Harriet Moen. He had one older sister, Mildred. In 1925 they moved to Whittier and bought a 4 -acre farm of walnuts and citrus trees where they could also have farm animals and a large garden. In the early 1930s, during the Depression, their little farm housed and fed relatives and friends in addition to their family. He remembered having big picnics on the weekends with a complete chicken dinner and all the fixins.

Lenard went to West Whittier School and then on to Whittier High School. Lots of his school friends also lived in the country. They rode all over on their bikes and hunted jack rabbits with 22 rifles. He loved to build things and Evie remembered seeing him going down the road in a go cart contraption that he had built. In high school he took mechanical classes. He had a beautiful voice as did his sister Mildred and often sang solos in choir and even sang in some musical plays.

In 1942 Lenard graduated from Whittier High and enrolled in Pasadena Junior College. After a semester he decided to join the Army Air Force rather than be drafted as a foot soldier in WWII. He was interested in air craft due to his mechanical bent, and after completing Aviation Mechanics School he applied for pilot training which eventually put him over Germany in a B-17. On August 14, 1944 his plane, Hardluck, suffered mechanical failure that made the crew guests of the Germans for 10 months. Through this experience Lenard said that God was teaching him what really trusting Him was all about.

Upon Lenards return from the war his parents persuaded him that he should become a Chiropracter. While attending school he was also attending First Brethren Church in uptown Whittier. Lenard and Evie Miller grew up as neighbors and graduated a year apart from Whittier High School. Upon his return from World War II they became re-acquainted when he was invited to a Bible study for young people. Lenard took Evie home afterward and they dated thereafter until they were married on March 11, 1947. Evie died a week short of their 70th anniversary on March 4, 2018.

After an eight month venture in the Chiropractic practice, God redirected his life and eventually opened an opportunity to start a small business in 1951 with his Dad. They purchased a twelve hundred-dollar belt drive lathe which launched the start of their job shop making pump parts. The business was named Moen Machine Works. The name was later changed to Moen Industries and went on to become a leader in the manufacture of corrugated packaging equipment with Lenard doing the design work.

Lenard and Evie raised five children - Phyllis, Carl, Earl, Dale and Janet. There was less than 6 years between Phyllis and Janet so life was busy for the family. When the children were young they helped start a new church on Washington Blvd Community Brethren Church as well as a school. All 5 kids attended Brethren Elementary and Jr High from K through 8th grade. Years later Lenard and Evie helped launch a church plant in La Mirada called Creek Park Church.

Lenard was involved on many church boards as well as the Brethren Elementary and Jr High School Board. He also served on the Youth For Christ Board and then later on the Brethren Foreign Missions Board where he served for 15 years. Lenard and Evie both had a heart for others, always generous with their time and hospitality and were a blessing to all those who spent time in their home. They had a heart for missions and made lasting friendships with many missionaries some of whom they were able to visit on the mission field. Their home was always open to missionaries who were back in the states.

His family not only respected him for his spiritual wisdom but sought him out for sound advice and counsel. He was blessed with a family who loved him deeply and were honored to celebrate his 96th birthday on November 23rd of this year. They were blessed to call him Dad, Grandpa and Great Grandpa (Pa Pa) and recently Great Great Grandpa.

Lenard was preceded in death by his son, Earl, in 1989 and by his loving wife, Evie, on March 4, 2018 and son-in-law, Larry Allen on May 21, 2018. He is survived by his children Phyllis Allen (Larry), Carl (Anita), Dale (Marghy) and Janet Clough (Bob) as well as six grandchildren and spouses and seventeen great grandchildren and one great great grandson.