The Greatest Generation is vanishing before our eyes. They are the people who set an amazing example of patriotism when this country needed them the most, sacrificing much to make sure good triumphed over evil during World War II.

We would be remiss if we didn’t salute one especially outstanding member of that generation who passed away last week.

Robert “Bob” E. Moore, 98, Marquette — musician, retired businessman, former Marquette city commissioner and former mayor of his hometown — died June 27. In a way, he was part of The Mining Journal family as he was the son of the late longtime Mining Journal managing editor, E. A. (Ted) Moore and Marie (Harkin) Moore.

But we salute him for much more than that.

Bob not only served his hometown as a member of the city commission and as mayor, he was part of groups like the Junior Chamber of Commerce and the Marquette Ambassadors. He was on the board of Marquette General Hospital for 17 years and for 18 years, was part of the Marquette County board of the Michigan Department of Human Services.

Without fanfare, he and his wife, Shirley, who survives him, were two of the kindest people anyone could meet.

They cared about the community and the people therein.

An example would be when Bob came in to the newspaper office after having read a story in a local series about poverty. The story focused on a widow whose husband had gone through this pension money before he died, leaving her with little money to live on.

Bob wanted to offer his assistance to this woman he had never met because he had experience in financial counseling. He was genuinely concerned about her. Bob was a most genuine gentleman.

For nearly 80 years, he was part of the Marquette City Band among other musical groups. And he used his musical talent to play “Taps” at many veterans’ burials through the years.

Bob was a veteran himself, having served as a combat pilot in the Pacific Theater during World War II, a member of the United States Marine Corps. He participated in the April 2012 mission of Upper Peninsula Honor Flight, then visited Sandy Knoll Elementary School in Marquette to talk to some of the fourth graders about his experiences during the war and his trip with the other veterans back to the nation’s capital.

We could go on and on. Suffice it to say Bob Moore was a special man from a generation leaving us much too rapidly.

He will be missed.

Anyone who would like to pay tribute to this lovely man can send a remembrance to the Marquette City Band, 300 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette.

Condolences to his wife of 75 years, Shirley, and the rest of his family as well as to his legion of friends.