Mary Moen

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MADISON -Mary Elizabeth Moen, age 88, passed away peacefully on June 19th, surrounded by her family. She was born in Pittsburg, PA in 1928. She moved to Madison to live with her aunt after the death of her mother when she was 6 years old.

Mary graduated from West High School and then received her Masters Degree in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Mary later returned to her high school alma mater, where she became a favorite teacher for countless students. She was active in the pep club and was an avid fan of the Regents' basketball and football teams. Mary wanted her students to believe in themselves as much as she believed in them. Her greatest joy was watching students develop their sense of self-worth. Students would often come up to Mary just to give her a hug and tell her she made a huge difference in their lives. This continued up until her death, decades after she retired in 1992.

Mary was a nationally recognized teacher, receiving numerous honors, including the Herb Kohl Achievement Award for Teaching Excellence, the CBS & Boston University National Award for Teaching Television in the Classroom, the National Telemedia Council Jessie McCanse Award for Individual Contribution to Media Literacy and the Zeta Phi Eta Speech Fraternity Distinguished Service Award for Speech and Communications.

After retirement from teaching, Mary worked for the Discovery Network as a consultant, traveling the country teaching mass media to educators. She was active in the Madison Civics Club Board of Directors and was the chair in 2001-2002.

She met her first husband, John J. Cefalu, waitressing at Jimmy's Restaurant while in college. They had six children together. She later married James E. Moen, "the love of her life". They spent more than 20 years together before his passing in 1991.

Mary loved her family and cherished spending time with them. She traveled to Paris several times to visit her daughter and her family, and also to California to visit her two sons and their families. She was fearless and adventurous, whether it was climbing the steps to Notre Dame Cathedral, jet skiing in the Bahamas or even braving the water slides in the Wisconsin Dells.

Mary is survived by her children, Tina (John) Moses, Terry Cefalu, Sharon (Thierry) Charlet, Vince Cefalu, and John (Melissa) Cefalu and her 10 grandchildren (Ryan Haney, Krista, Kayla, Lisa, and Tyler Moses, Alexis, Xavi&egravere, Mathias Charlet, Austin and Luke Cefalu).

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Archibald and Dorothy Snee, her sister Jeanne Williams, her aunt Helen Berggren, her infant daughter Mary Jeanne, her
husband James Moen, and her dear friend and companion, Richard Brockman.

We would like to thank Father Bart Timmerman, Erik Gyr and Saint Thomas Aquinas Church for all their guidance and support. Saint Thomas was an important part of Mary's life and a source of comfort, peace and spirituality. We would also like to express our thanks to Terri & Carl Kepplin for their kindness and friendship toward our mother.

Her family expresses their deepest gratitude to Agrace HospiceCare for their care and compassion. We could not have hoped for a more beautiful and loving place for our mother to be taken care of in her last few days. The family requests in lieu of flowers, that a memorial be sent to Agrace HospiceCare, Madison, in Mary's honor.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 AM on Tue. July 11, 2017 at ST. THOMAS AQUINAS CATHOLIC CHURCH, 602 Everglade Dr. with Fr. Bart Timmerman presiding. A visitation will be from 4 PM-7 PM on Mon. July 10, 2017 and also from 10 AM until the time of the Mass on Tue., all at the church. Following the Mass, there will be a luncheon celebrating Mary's life in the parish hall.

Our mother touched so many lives and will be missed by all who knew her. We know our Mommabear will continue to watch over her cubs and grand cubs from above.

Cress
Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
608-238-3434