Obituary
John L. Moe
Beloved father, grandfather and area substitute teacher John L. Moe passed away Wednesday, March 22nd at Franciscan Mayo in La Crosse, with family at his side.
John was born March 10, 1940 in La Crosse to Jane Moe. He attended Holy Trinity, St. Thomas More and Aquinas schools. He graduated from Central in 1958.
Following high school, John joined the United States Navy, serving as a hospital corpsman. He remembered fondly his days at various duty stations in California, especially his time at Naval Air Station Point Mugu. After the Navy, John worked as an orderly at St. Francis hospital in La Crosse. It was there met Janet Purdy. They married on November 4, 1961.
John attended college at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, receiving his B.S. in Biology and his M.S. in Biology. He attended the University of Wisconsin for further graduate studies in Wildlife Ecology, researching ruffed grouse throughout Vernon County.
After working for A.J. Sweet of La Crosse for several years, John returned to teaching, subbing at various schools in the area. He held a special place in his heart for the staff and students of the Cashton School District.
A very intelligent, gifted man, John was a skilled outdoorsman, a self-taught woodcarver and oil painter, an amazing gardener and “dog whisperer” John also possessed a near encyclopedic knowledge of World War II, classic movies, rye whiskey, and cabernet sauvignon.
John was preceded in death by his wife Janet on May 30, 2016, his mother Jane Justin and a sister, Cynthia Justin.
John is survived by his daughters, Sarah Moe and Stefanie Miler, his son-in-law Jeffery Miller and his beloved granddaughters Scarlet, Emily and Caitlin Miller. He is also survived by a brother, Clarence Justin, a sister, Barbara Jerome, a sister-in-law, Marilyn Carroll and numerous niece and nephews. John also leaves behind his beloved English Setter Molly, Chessie the cat and Remington, his daughter’s Springer.
The family wishes to thank Drs. Onsrud, Price and Adams for the wonderful care given to John over the years and Drs. Patch and Forbes and the staffs of 9th, 7th and ICU, pastoral care (especially Rev. Mark Carr) and palliative care at Mayo for the kind and compassionate care given to John over the last 11 days of his life.
Visitation will be from 5-7pm Wednesday, March 29 at Coulee Region Cremation Group 133 Mason Street, Onalaska. A prayer service will follow at 7pm, Msgr. Kachel will officiate. Private inurnment will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made on John’s memory to either the Coulee Region Humane Society or Cashton Public Schools.
He was a man, take him for all and all.
I shall not look upon his like again.
So sorry for your lose. John will be greatly missed by students and staff at Cashton Public Schools. I always enjoyed talking and working with him while I was the school media director and then the last few years as a substitute teacher. He was always so friendly, positive, caring and had so many life experiences to share with students and staff. He made a difference on many lives.
Sincere sympathy to John’s family, and know that you are in our thoughts and prayers. I am a retired fourth grade teacher at Cashton Elementary School. Whenever John subbed in my classroom, I knew that the children would have a productive day! He loved the children, and they loved him. Our adult conversations revealed an intelligent, kind, persistent, and adventurous man.