Founding Temecula City Council Member Peg Moore Dies At 86

TEMECULA, CA — The city of Temecula is mourning the loss of one of its founding leaders.

Margaret "Peg" Moore, who was elected to serve on the very first Temecula City Council, died Jan. 18, city officials announced. She was 86.

“We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Peg’s passing. She was a friend, a mentor and a leader that exemplified the heart of Temecula," Temecula Mayor Matt Rahn said.

Former council member Moore’s involvement in Temecula began in the 1980s when she and her late husband, Jimmy Moore, fell in love with the area and served on the "Incorporation Committee for Cityhood." Jimmy was the committee president and Peg served as secretary.

When Temecula was officially incorporated on Dec. 1, 1989, Peg Moore was elected to the first Temecula City Council alongside Ron Parks, Karel Lindemans, Pat Birdsall and Sal Munoz. She served until 1992.

“Without the actions and commitment to cityhood in the early days by Peg and her husband, Jimmy, Temecula would not have incorporated and developed into the city we enjoy today," Rahn continued. "Residents and businesses are still benefitting from Peg’s vision as part of Temecula’s original City Council, and decades of continued service on the Old Town Local Review Board."

Peg Moore has been characterized by the city as an important collaborator in decisions that shaped Temecula, particularly Old Town. She served on the Old Town Local Review Board from May 2002 through July 2021, including as its chairwoman.

“We’ve lost a treasure among our city’s founding leaders. This is a great loss for Temecula and we send our deepest condolences to her family," Temecula Mayor Pro Tem Zak Schwank said. "Peg’s love for Temecula and work ethic has been inspiring to us all. Her legacy as a devoted public servant will live on, especially in Old Town and here at City Hall.”

Due to the many years of volunteerism in Temecula, Peg and Jimmy Moore have been referred to through the decades as "Mr. and Mrs. Temecula" by City Manager Aaron Adams, who began working closely with the pair in the 1990s.

The Moores' marriage endured for 61 years until Jimmy's death in 2016.

The couple's daughter, Marcia King, shared, "My mother was an incredible woman who greatly loved the city of Temecula. She was so proud to have been able to serve the city through her work on the Incorporation Committee, her time on the first City Council, her membership on the Old Town Local Review Board, and the many community groups she supported. She will be sorely missed by her family, her friends, and the city she loved."

City of Temecula officials are planning to include a memorial of Peg Moore to commemorate her service to the city. The tribute is expected to be built alongside her husband’s plaque in Town Square within the Civic Center complex, according to city officials.

Moore is survived by her daughter, Marcia; grandchildren, Daniel King and Heather King; great-grandchild, Bella Gadd; and her sister, Carol Floyd. In addition to her husband, Moore was preceded in death by her grandson, Jarod Dowdell.