Ann C. Moen

Ann C. Moen, age 84, of Bloomingdale, and a former longtime resident of Pequannock, passed from this life into the presence of God her father, her savior Jesus, and the Holy Spirit on Friday, May 28, 2021. She was in the comfort of her home with loving members of her family present at the time of her passing.

Ann was the daughter of Cornelius Stols and Clara (Casteline) Stols. She was born in Clifton but raised in Paterson at the family home located at 436 East 21st Street. After graduating from Eastside High School, she initially worked as a bank teller for First National Bank and Trust Company in her hometown of Paterson.

Ann grew up attending the People’s Park Netherland Reformed Church in Paterson. Among the other kids in the church that were her age was a young guy named Peter Moen. They began dating as young adults and, after getting engaged in Central Park in New York City during the weekend of Palm Sunday in 1956, they set their wedding date for Saturday, August 30, 1958. That summer day, they exchanged their wedding promises before God, family and friends at People’s Park Church with the wedding ceremony officiated by Reverend Zijderveld. After a reception with 130 guests at the Robin Hood Inn in Clifton, Ann and Pete honeymooned in sunny Florida. Their first home as Mr and Mrs Moen was in a two-family home owned by relatives located at 131 East 2nd Street in Clifton.

Prior to marriage and at Pete’s recommendation, Ann left her job at the bank to go work in the accounting department at New Jersey Bell Telephone Company in Newark because they offered better benefits. One of those benefits was meeting several women who would become life-long friends.  Over the years they would faithfully meet each month until they were all well advanced in years and time took its toll.  She remained with Bell-Tell until the fall of 1961 when the blessing of her first-born son named Peter Jay led Ann into a new role as mother and full-time homemaker. In 1962, Ann, Pete, and Peter Jay moved into a new home that they had built on Jacksonville Road in Pequannock. In the next few years one had to wonder if Ann and Pete were trying to start their own basketball team as they welcomed three more baby boys - first Neal (‘63), followed by Mark (’65), and then Steven (’69).

Ann approached motherhood and homemaking from a very practical philosophy. She scheduled her responsibilities down to a well-oiled routine. At the Moen house, you could always know what night of the week it was by what was served that night because it was the same every week. Sunday dinner enjoyed the time-honored tradition of being after church and, for many years, the menu alternated weeks between chicken and beef, ultimately giving way to a weekly London broil. Ann’s culinary skills were good but it was her baking that put the biggest smiles on her family’s faces.

When all of Ann’s sons reached that age of relative independence, she decided to venture back into work outside of the home. First, Ann worked at Orie Van Wingerden Greenhouses in Pompton Plains, starting plants from seed in early spring. She later took a part-time job working summers at the Farm View Road Stand on Black Oak Ridge Road in Wayne. Her last job before full retirement was at the Pompton Reformed Church in Pompton Lakes. Ann’s husband Pete had previously taken a job there in his semi-retirement as a business manager and head of the church’s cemetery. When a need arose for someone to clean the church, it was Ann who took the job. She kept that church sparkling clean for five years before retiring at age 67.

Retirement for Ann and Pete afforded the adventures of annual trips to Florida to escape the cold winters in New Jersey and to enjoy the company of snow-bird friends. Every summer during the months of June and September, Ann and Pete would stay at their summer home – a bungalow built in 1950 by Pete’s parents –   which was located down the Jersey shore (Exit 82) at Midway Beach in South Seaside Park. After Pete passed away in 2008, Ann remained in her home in Pequannock until 2015 when she joined her son Peter and his wife Donna at their home in Bloomingdale. There she had her own spacious apartment, affording her the independence everyone desires without the heavy responsibilities of home ownership.  As Ann’s acuity decreased over the years due to Lewy Body Dementia, God brought Christian caregivers to Peter and Donna who ministered to Ann and them in providing for Ann’s daily care.

Ann’s number one most enjoyed pastime was reading. She had a penchant for picking books from the Pequannock Library that had any type of beach scene on the cover. It was nothing unusual for Ann to easily tear through two or three books per week! When the town built the new library, Pete and Ann donated funds to support the library expansion due their joint love of reading.  You can find a gold plaque on the brick wall inside the library as a testament to that love.  Ann also loved making puzzles. Her home always included a board on the floor or a table in the sun room of the house with a “work-in-progress” puzzle. It was there for anyone if they wanted to spend a few minutes or a good long sit challenging themselves to assemble one of those 1,000- or 1,500-piece puzzles.

Ann was always up for a visit from one or all of her thirteen grandchildren. They had a nickname for her – “Candy Grandma” because they could count on a plentitude of candy treats generously offered anytime she was around.  Ann cherished spending time with her thirteen grandchildren.  From writing them letters at camp to attending birthday parties, graduations, showers, and weddings.  She always had time to show her support and love.  

A member of the Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church since November, 1966, Ann loved her church and church family and always came away blessed by Sunday worship and years of learning about God’s truths, promises and guidance for this life. Ann was active in the church as a regular participant in the Monday night ladies Bible study, the weekly prayer gathering, the household ministry, and fellowship committee.  She supported Pete as a Deacon’s wife and later as an Elder’s wife.  Pete and Ann would often host visiting pastors in their home.  Ann loved to sing praises to God too and always looked forward to singing on Sundays in the church choir.

Ann was everything you could ask for from a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend. She was a loving, caring, and compassionate woman. Gentle in sharing the wisdom that came with age and experience, she would never dream of being overbearing or demanding in sharing that wisdom. Her greatest gift was probably her faithful example of Christian love. Thankful for God’s faithfulness and love shown to her, she considered Christ to be the greatest example of how to love her own family, which she always considered one of God’s finest blessings to her.

Ann was the beloved wife of Pete Moen, blessed in marriage for 50 years until his passing in 2008. She was the most loving mother of four great sons: Peter J. Moen and wife Donna of Bloomingdale, Neal E. Moen and wife Daneen of Pequannock, Mark A. Moen and Christine Orozco of Pawcatuck, CT, and Steven S. Moen and wife Suzie of Jefferson; cherished grandmother of: Jonathan Moen and wife Kristyn of Upton, MA, Scott Moen and wife Maya of Pompton Plains, Elizabeth Ann Moen of Piscataway, Heather Speer and husband Jesse of Lincoln Park, Stephanie Ingis and husband Benjamin of Jefferson, Mykaela Moen of Pequannock, Tyler Moen of Pequannock, Alexandria Moen of Dudley, MA, Connor Moen of Niantic, CT, Samuel Moen of Jefferson, Stacy Aubrey and husband Caleb of Granville, NY, Sawyer Moen of Jefferson, and Sierra Moen of Jefferson; and adoring great-grandmother of Camille Moen of Pompton Plains.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Ann’s name are asked to consider Pequannock Township Library or Pompton Plains Reformed Bible Church.

Mask Protocol – While we rejoice that God has brought a reduction of impact of the virus to our land, we continue to be mindful that many are still getting sick. In order to do our part to reduce the spread of disease, we ask that you please wear a mask as you greet us in line to share your condolences and remembrances.