Pearl Patricia Moore

Pearl Patricia Moore (Pat to her friends) passed away on July 23, 2022 at the Willows in Iola, Wisconsin. She was born and raised in Morrisonville, Illinois to Lillian and Clarence Goebel on January 10, 1926. She and her five siblings grew up on the family farm just a quarter of a mile from the railroad tracks. Drifters would often show up on their doorstep asking for food or work. Her parents obliged whenever they could. Milking cows with her brother was a highlight for her, as then they had privacy and could “talk about anything!”

She adored her first, second, and third grade teacher, “Miss Wilma” who taught at Willow Vale, a one room school not far from her home. When it closed, she rode the school bus to St. Maurice grade school. After graduating from Morrisonville High School, she attended St. John’s Nursing Academy in Springfield, Illinois, and became a registered nurse.

After nurse’s training, Patricia married William Lawrence Moore. Together they raised three children: Gail, Stan, and Brenda. Education was very important to them, and so they were very proud that all three children graduated from college.

Her love of reading was legendary! She claimed to have skimmed an entire set of Encyclopedias one long, cold winter. We have no doubt she did it. Besides her children and grandson, Zach, her other love was for her four cats, Sheba, Tony, Cleo, and Tom. She successfully brought all four cats with her when she moved from Rochester, Illinois, to Amherst, Wisconsin in order to be closer to her oldest daughter. Amherst embraced her as only a small Wisconsin town can do. She and her family will forever be grateful for their welcoming spirit.

Pat will be dearly missed by her daughter, Gail Johnson and son-in-law, Don, Iola, WI; son, Stanley Moore, Rochester, Illinois; daughter, Brenda Kawano and son-in-law Aritaka, Carol Stream, Illinois; grandson, Zach Johnson, Tacoma, Washington; her sister, JoAnn Heil and husband Chris, Viola, Illinois as well as many nieces and nephews. While she didn’t get to see her grandson as often as she would have liked, she loved him dearly and would always ask, “So, what do you hear from your son?” She was even known to write a poem or two about him when he was little.

Besides her parents, Pat was proceeded in death by her husband, Larry Moore, and four of her siblings: John Goebel, Mary Smith, Helen Sullivan, and Bill Goebel.

Patricia will be interred next to her husband in the Morrisonville cemetery in Morrisonville, Illinois. No service will be held.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Willows for their excellent care and many kind gestures, as well as the wonderful people at Heartland Hospice. You made her journey and ours so much easier.

Memorials may be directed to the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org on Mother’s behalf.