Edith Louise Mossner is home with her Lord. She was 73.Mom died yesterday morning. It wasn't a surprise. She had pancreatic cancer, too far gone when it was discovered.
Unlike my Dad, who died almost exactly three years ago, we (all of us, mom, my family, my sister, her friends) knew this day was coming. Dad's death was a shock.
I don't know if it's better to know it's coming or not. But in the six months since the diagnosis, that knowledge made me think.
One Sunday, not long after the news, I sat with her in church at St. Paul Lutheran. It may very well have been the same pew we sat in when I was a kid. We were singing the opening hymn and it occurred to me, right then, these days and that moment could only happen a few more times.
A few months later, we wrote her obituary together. You'll see most of it below if you keep reading. As we talked, I noticed she didn't remember some of the things I did about her life. She didn't like to talk about stuff she did to help others and preferred to stay in the shadows instead of the spotlight. After I finished writing it, I showed it to her the following week. She didn't object. But, I don't recall any comment either.
When the house got too big, I was able to stay with her. She got tired and slept across the room in her chair. I watched her, waiting for the next breath. Her voice lost its strength. She used to command the attention of Sunday School kids in the gym without a microphone.
Life is made of moments. I think we don't notice those moments until it's too late. I'm thankful for knowing I needed to pay attention to the closing moments of her life. A life that influenced and made an impact on more people than she ever knew.
A strong Christian woman with firm convictions, Edith married the love of her life in 1961. She spent 50+ years with Bill before his passing in 2012.
Mom was born August 26, 1941 on the family farm near Fergus Falls in northwest Minnesota and baptized into the family of faith September 14, 1941 in a rural Lutheran church in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
She grew up on the farm, learning to drive a team of horses as a very young girl and taking on many household chores at an early age. When she was 12, the family moved to the Peoria, Illinois area where her father took a job with Caterpillar Tractor Company.
She was confirmed in her faith as a 14 year old and held tightly to her confirmation Bible verse the rest of her life: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” John 6:68
The rest of her formative years were spent in Creve Couer, Illinois and she graduated from East Peoria High School in 1959. She married William R. Mossner, August 19, 1961 at Trinity Lutheran Church, Peoria, IL a week before her 20th birthday and the couple moved to Grayslake, Illinois outside Chicago.
In September, 1963, their first child (ta da, that's me) was born; six months later they moved to Janesville, Wisconsin as they moved for dad's new job. A second child (my sister, Danielle) came along in October, 1975.
In Janesville, mom dedicated herself to raising her family and serving others.
The family joined St. Paul Lutheran Church so the children could attend school there. Edith joined the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML); Ladies Aid; and was active in the local branch of Aid Association for Lutherans. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for years.
In 1966, Edith and Bill became foster parents in Rock County and opened their home to 7 teenage girls over the following 8 years. Edith was also an active member and officer in the Mercy Hospital Auxiliary, Wisconsin Right to Life, and Lutherans for Life.
After taking a class to learn sign language, she became a volunteer with Holy Cross Lutheran Church for the Deaf in Delavan, Wisconsin as a Sunday School teacher. Later, after becoming a certified interpreter, she served in that role during Sunday worship services at St. Paul, Janesville for a number of years.
Throughout her years in Janesville, Edith became known as the Little Dressmaker. Using skills learned while growing up in Minnesota, she did mending, alterations, and new creations on her Singer sewing machine – including swim suits and wedding gowns.
A job change for Bill in 1993, took the pair away from Janesville to St. Louis, Missouri; Ridgeway, Pennsylvania; and finally to Carmel, Indiana where they settled in 1998.
While a member of Carmel Lutheran Church, she became active with Lutheran Disability Ministries and started a respite program for families caring for adults with developmental disabilities. Friendship Saturdays gave care-givers a free day and a fun day out for their children. She also volunteered weekly with Riley’s Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis.
Edith worked outside the home with several positions book-ending her time raising her children.
The jobs included bookkeeping positions with two banks, legal secretary, insurance sales associate, and as Community Services Specialist for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (formerly Aid Association for Lutherans) recruiting and training volunteers until retirement.
Mom returned to her long time home of Janesville in 2013.
She is survived by her children; four grandchildren; sister; and nieces and nephews. She will be missed by many.
Mom was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Lyle, and husband.
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