Joanne Nelson Moyler

Joanne Moyler passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, September 16. A favorite quote reflects how she fought her three-year battle with cancer: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Born in Worcester, Massachusetts in July, 1931, she was the only child of Arthur and Eunice Nelson (nee Barber). She attended Midland Street School, Sever Prep, and Classical High School before graduating from Smith College with an economics degree in 1953. After college she worked at New York Life in New York City. In the second week of July, 1954 she met the love of her life, Alan. On Labor Day weekend they announced to her parents that they would like to wed. They married on December 4, 1954, and remained married and in love until Alan's death in 2007. Joanne was not embarrassed to admit she often listened to "True Love" by Bing Crosby on repeat on her car's CD player.

In January 1956 they moved into a tumble-down farmhouse in Redding without electricity or plumbing where Joanne defined the term "homemaker" in the literal sense, helping to transform the property and its outbuildings into their home and their oasis. No job was too much, and she had the scars to prove it. In 1957 their first child, Christopher, was born, followed by Hilary in 1959, and Jeremy in 1963. Joanne joined the Redding Garden Club in 1969, and served as the refreshments coordinator for more than fifty years. A member of Christ Church in Redding, she taught Sunday school when her children were young. She served as the president of the Redding Women's Republican Club. She was active in the Drum Hill Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and served as chaplain of the chapter for more than ten years. She was descended from Jonathan Trumbull, Connecticut's colonial governor throughout the American Revolutionary War, for whom the local town of Trumbull was named. On her maternal side she could trace her ancestry back to Mayflower passengers Governor William Bradford and Richard Warren, and was active in Mayflower Society gatherings for the last thirty years. Equally proud of her father's Swedish ancestry, she belonged to the American Scandinavian Foundation in New York City and attended events whenever possible. Every year she looked forward to volunteering at the Smith College Alumnae Association book sale, and her friends could look forward to a call from her when the Smith College Alumnae Association pecan sale rolled around every year.

She and Alan traveled extensively in eastern and western Europe, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the west coast of the United States. In 1991 they took the trip of a lifetime to Pakistan when Alan was offered a consulting Art Director position at a packaging plant in Lahore. The sights, sounds, and smells of that 6-month posting stayed with her for the rest of her life. Pakistani friends she made on the trip continued to correspond with her for decades after they returned to the United States. In retirement, Alan was employed as an on-board artist by the Cunard Cruise Line, allowing them to continue traveling when carrying suitcases became too much. At age 80 she purchased a Lifetime Park Pass to America’s National Parks and fulfilled a lifelong dream of traveling to several, naming Bryce and the Grand Canyon among her favorites.

Joanne happily never sent or read a text or email. She never used, let alone owned, a computer. She understood the more personal connection of a hand written letter, delivered to one’s mailbox. When an important letter had to be composed, the trusty Smith Corona was brought down from the third floor, and mistakes were corrected with a small bottle of white ink. Her friends and family remember receiving birthday, Christmas, Valentines, and even Halloween cards, often containing newspaper clippings she thought the recipient would find interesting. 

Her friends frequently remarked on the great pride she took in all the members of her family. She leaves behind her three children and four grandchildren: Trevor Moyler, Hayley McKinnon Addis and her husband Will, Emily McKinnon, and Avery Moyler. 

The family would like to express its deepest appreciation for the exceptional care our mother received from Smilow Cancer Hospital and doctors, nurses and nurse's aides too numerous to list here. 

A memorial service will be held at Christ Church Episcopal, 184 Cross Highway, Redding, CT, at 2 pm on October 5, 2024.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Grand Canyon Conservancy at http://protect.grandcanyon.org

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