Kristi Moerke

Kristi Jo Moerke, aged 67, beloved wife of Steven, passed away at her home in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin on Sunday, March 20, 2022, with her husband, daughters, and daughter-in-law at her side.

Kristi came into the world on February 16, 1955, in Wausau, Wisconsin, the second of three daughters of Olaf and Arlette (Lunde) Vale. Shortly after she was born, the family moved to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, where three teenage girls shared one small bathroom with their parents. In 1968, an older boy moved to town and joined her catechism class. Over The Lord’s Prayer the two fell in love and were united in marriage on May 13, 1978. That day, a record rainfall flooded the streets, a lucky portent, for wet knots are hardest to untie. They had three children and relocated repeatedly before finally settling in Sun Prairie in 1996.

Kristi was an exceptionally bright student, and graduated with honors from Goodrich High School in Fond du Lac in 1973. Growing up, her father had told her how much he admired nurses, not knowing at the time that this would have a lasting impact on Kristi, who graduated cum laude from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh in 1977 with a bachelor’s of science in nursing. She began her career as a licensed RN specializing in adolescent psychiatry at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute, where she was adored by the boys on her unit. As Steve’s career advanced, she gracefully navigated her family through the constant change of living in a new state every three years, taking on various teaching and leadership roles in geriatric and dementia care settings. She eventually returned to a position in psychiatry at Mendota Mental Health Institute, from which she retired in 2015.

Kristi loved watching the birds in her backyard and the eagles at the river locks and dams during the winter. She was an avid gardener, convincing Steve to build a greenhouse in the basement and a vegetable garden outside. Irises were her favorite and everyone in the neighborhood envied the green beans in her garden. Kristi is survived by her husband and daughters, Megan (Cheryl) Moerke and Amanda (Christian) Kriesel; two grandchildren; two sisters, Ann (Paul) Tabat and Lori (Jose) Gonzalez; a nephew and nieces, as well as many other relatives and friends. Kristi was preceded in death by her son, Daniel. We promise to teach Echo and Arthur how to take care of the irises and plant the beans, mom, but it won’t be the same.

A funeral service will be held at BURKE LUTHERAN CHURCH, 5720 Portage Road, Madison, WI 53718, on Tuesday, March 29, 2022, at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at Burke Lutheran Cemetery. Friends and family may visit at Burke Lutheran Church on Tuesday from 10:00 am until the time of service. Following the burial will be a time for fellowship at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family is organizing a donation to the local branch of LiveStrong, whose mission it is to solve the day-to-day problems of cancer patients.

Gifts made to Kristi’s family will be donated to the LiveStrong program offered through the YMCA of Dane County. To make your own donation, you can use the link below. To ensure the donations are allocated as intended, you MUST fill in the box that is labeled "in memory of" with “Kristi Moerke.” The funds will be held until September when the program is relaunched. Each donor will receive a thank you from the organization. In addition, they will provide us a summary of the donations made in Kristi’s memory, so that we may offer our thanks as well.

ymcadane.org/donate

http://ymcadane.org/donate

Kristi found enormous benefit from participating in LiveStrong. LiveStrong provides cancer survivors and those living with cancer the tools to reclaim a healthy mind and body after the damage wrought by cancer and cancer treatments. Through both personalized attention to the needs of the individual and inclusion in a community facing shared challenges, LiveStrong works to increase the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of the whole person.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service

1310 Emerald Terrace, Sun Prairie

(608) 837-9054