Mary Moats

1923 - 2020

Mary Alice Moats, 97, Defiance, passed away Thursday morning, October 22, 2020, at CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center surrounded by her family.
She was born March 15, 1923, to Albert and Clara (Stork) Memmer in Defiance, Ohio. Mary spent her first eight years of school at St. John Lutheran Parochial School and graduated from Defiance High School in 1941. She worked at Holland Furnace Company in Defiance and the Marathon Bulk Plant. On February 8, 1947, she married Thomas "Tom" C. Moats (dec.). She then moved to the Sherwood area and started farm life. She and Tom joined St. John's Lutheran Church in Sherwood, and was active with the Ladies Aid and Walther League. Besides being a farmer's wife, she was active with Home Demonstration, being a 4-H leader, den mother for Cub Scouts, collecting Boyd Bears, baking her family's favorite coffee cakes, painting with oils, and traveling with her husband, and later with her girlfriends from church. After Tom's retirement, Tom and Mary spent their winters in Winter Haven, Florida. She cherished her time she spent with family.
She is survived by her daughters, Carol (Fred) Greive of Waterville, Ohio, and Lois (Ray) Harbourt of Sherwood, Ohio, and Winter Haven, Fla.; and her son, Bill (Susan) Moats of Sherwood, Ohio. She also leaves behind two grandchildren, Michael (Maria) Moats and their children, Ava and Carter of Sherwood, and Lindsay (Jack) Davis and their children, Jackson and Kendall of Tipp City, Ohio; her stepgrandson, Bill (Elisabeth) Harbourt, their child, Isabelle, and his daughters, Victoria and Hannah of Ney, Ohio, and son, Niklas of Germany; stepgrandson, Keith Harbourt and his son, Calvin of Shanghai, China; and stepgranddaughter, Ellen Harbourt (Graham Stokes) of Gambier, Ohio.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Tom; her sister, Alberta Bremer; and granddaughter-in-law, Kristi Russell-Moats.
The family extends their sincere appreciation to the staff of Kingsbury Place and CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center for their compassionate care.
Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, funeral and graveside services will be conducted privately. Schaffer Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to St. John Lutheran Christian School in Defiance or CHP Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. Online condolences can be given at www.Schafferfh.com.