Audrey Louise Moede

Audrey Louise (Burns) Moede

Audrey Louise (Burns) Moede, 88, was born to Percy Burns and Evelyn (Longrie Burns) Line, in Keewatin, MN, and died in rural Deer River on June 16, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Roger Moede, who passed away on December 7, 2024. Audrey is survived by sons Joel (Tami) Moede and Chris (Mindy) Moede; daughter Kelly (Mark) Geiger; grandchildren Hayley (Houston) Matanowski, Taylor (Michael) Jensen, Darian (Cody) Burlison, and Nic (Emma) Geiger; great-grandchildren Zoe Matanowski and Addie Burlison; nieces and a nephew.

Audrey graduated from Keewatin High School in 1954 and from the University of Minnesota-Duluth in 1958, with majors in physical education and elementary education. She worked within the Deer River school district as a teacher, substitute, and copy aide for more than 45 years - she taught physical education in elementary and high school and adapted physical education for K 12 in the Deer River and Greenway school district. While at DRHS, she advised Pep Club, Cheerleaders (5 squads a year!), AFS, and Close-Up. She coached junior high girls' basketball, girls' track, speech, and one-act play productions as well as accompanied ninth-grade class trips, senior class trips, life sports classes, and aquatic activities. She kept scorebooks for her first love, volleyball, for over 30 years, as well as girls' and boys' basketball scorebooks, and wrestling team scorebooks when needed. She was inducted into the Deer River Warrior Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022. She is remembered by many Deer River alumni as "Mom" or as "Mrs. Moede."

Audrey was an active volunteer in the Deer River community over the last 67 years. She instructed and supervised the Deer River Lions Club Swimming Program for over 50 years - from 1962 until 2014 and continued to serve on the Lions Swimming Program Advisory Committee. She was a Girl Scout Leader, Cub Scout Den Mother, and member and officer of the Minnesota Federation of Women's Clubs (Deer River). She was an active member of the Deer River United Methodist Church, where she was a Sunday School teacher, choir director, vocal soloist, UMW local and District officer, and member of local church committees. She was a charter member of the Deer River Women's Chorus, and a member of Deer River's Ecumenical Choir, Mississippi Melodie Showboat Pit Band for 22 years, the Deer River Bowling Association (Sunshine League), and several bridge clubs. She was involved with local theatre as a director and actress in Everyone's Raven (Deer River community) theatre productions, actress in two Grand Rapids' Players musical productions, committee member of the annual Wild Rice Festival talent show, and judge for the Wild Rice Festival parade for many years, writer and director of the Deer River Centennial Historical Pageant in 1998, and participant in Deer River's Bicentennial Celebration in 1976.

She was the Charter President of the Deer River Avenue of the Pines Lioness Club (chartered in 1981), was Secretary of the Avenue of the Pines Lions Club for many years and was President of the Deer River Lions Club (2015-16). She was elected as Lions District 5M-10 District Governor (2001-02). She received numerous awards for her active role in Lionism: Judge Brian Stevenson Fellowship (2001), Melvin Jones Fellowship (2002), Leader Dogs for the Blind Founder's Tribute (2007), Lions International President's Certificate of Appreciation (2010), Minnesota Lions Eye Bank Helen Keller Award (2014), and Perfect Attendance for over 40 years.

She enjoyed playing cards and spending time with friends and family as well as attending theatre and musical productions. She was a fan of the Deer River Warriors; Minnesota Twins, Vikings, Wild, and Lynx; and any team one of her children or grandchildren was on.

Visitation will be 1 pm to 2 pm on Saturday, June 21, at the Deer River United Methodist Church followed by a memorial service at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Deer River United Methodist Church or Deer River Lions Club.