OPINION: A birthday tribute to nutritious grain pioneer Bob Moore

Published 10:41 am Monday, February 17, 2025

Robert Gene “Bob” Moore, a true visionary and advocate for high-quality, nutritious whole grain foods, passed away last year on February 10, 2024, just five days before what would have been his 95th birthday.

My family and I had the privilege of meeting Bob in person at Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Store in Milwaukie. I was immediately struck by his warmth, humility, and genuine friendliness. He was a true gentleman in every sense of the word.

Born on February 15, 1929, in Portland, Oregon, Bob would have turned 96 this week. As a tribute to his unwavering passion and commitment to promoting nutritious, stone-ground grain foods, I have compiled the following numerical curiosities in honor of his birthday:

1. The sum of the digits in Bob’s age this year, 96, equals 15—which is also the number of letters in “Robert Gene Moore.”

2. The product of the digits in 96 equals 54, and the square of its reverse (45) is 2025, the year Bob would have turned 96. (Also, note that if 2025 is split as 20 and 25, 20 + 25 = 45.)

3. The difference between the squares of the digits in 96 is 45, and again, 45 squared is 2025.

4. Bob was born on 2/15/1929. If we split this date into 215 and 1929, twice the sum of the prime factors of 215 (5 and 43) equals 96. Likewise, twice the sum of the left and right halves of 1929 (19 and 29) also results in 96.

5. Bob passed away on 2/10, and the difference between the squares of 2 and 10 is 96.

6. Bob’s wife, Charlee Moore (1928-2018), was born on 3/11/1928. The difference between 311 and 215 (representing their birth months and days) is 96.

7. Their birthdays, in a non-leap year, are 24 days apart—and four times 24 is 96.

8. Bob passed away on 2/10. Interestingly, 210 is the product of the first four prime numbers (2, 3, 5, and 7). Further, the sum of these prime numbers equals 17 and 17 is the sum of the month and day numbers of Bob’s birthday (2 and 15).

9. Next year, Bob’s 97th birthday falls on 2/15/26. The number 21526 equals the product of 94 and 229, where 94 was Bob’s age when he passed away, and 229 is the sum of the squares of 2 and 15 (the month and day of his birth). Further, if 2026 is split as 20 and 26, the sum of 20 and 26 equals 46 and the 46th day of each year is Bob’s birthday, 2/15.

10. Bob’s birthday number in any year 20AB in this century (except 2100) can be calculated using his birthday written in short as 02/15/AB, where AB represents the rightmost two digits of 20AB. Adding the reverses of 02 and 15 to AB yields his new age. For example, his birthday 02/15/26 in 2026 calculates his new age as 20 + 51 + 26 = 97, confirming his 97th birthday.

Thank you, Bob, for being an inspiration and champion of nutritious whole grains. Your legacy continues to nourish and educate generations. Wishing you a happy 96th birthday in spirit!

Aziz Inan is professor of electrical engineering at the Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering and the University of Portland. Reach him at ainan@up.edu .