Lasting Memories

Kendall Dean Moll
1927-Nov. 27, 2008
Portola Valley, California

Kendall Dean Moll of Portola Valley died Nov. 27 from complications of Parkinson's Disease. He was 81.

He was born an identical twin in Oakdale, California, and attended local schools, where his mother was a teacher and, later, principal. In 2002 he and his brother, Kenneth, were honored as distinguished alumni of Oakdale High School. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy just in time to witness the end of World War II.

Within a year, the Navy department appointed him to the U.S. Naval Academy; his brother was simultaneously appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. Both graduated in 1950 and for more than 50 years had the distinction of being the only twins to simultaneously attend the two military academies, family members said. Kendall graduated with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering.

He married his wife of 57 years, Barbara Lucille Delphey, on Sept. 2, 1951. While raising his family and working full-time, he acquired a master's degree in electrical engineering and a doctorate of philosophy in decision analysis, both from Stanford University.

Mr. Moll spent the majority of his career as a senior research analyst at Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, where he specialized in disaster preparedness, energy planning, nuclear defense, and the development of emerging countries' economies and infrastructures.

Through his career, he traveled worldwide, often with his family. Postings included two years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 18 months in Anchorage, Alaska, and a year in Japan. Mr. Moll traveled to all 50 states, and every continent. He swam in the Dead Sea and the Antarctic Ocean, kissed the Blarney Stone, climbed a live volcano and watched nuclear tests in Nevada, say family members.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; three sons Martin Moll of Chico, Howard Moll of McMinnville, Oregon, and Stanton Moll of Anchorage, Alaska; two brothers, Kenneth Moll of Alexandria, Virginia, and Leo R. Moll Jr. of Aptos; and two grandchildren.