Vivian L. Moss

1919 - 2021

Vivian L. Moss 1919—2021
Vivian Loraine Fehr Moss, 101, of Freeport, Illinois, passed away peacefully with family at her side on March 10 at Parkview Home. Vivian was born March 24, 1919 in Afolkey, Il, the daughter of Ira Fehr and Carrie (Peeken) Fehr. Vivian married Elmer Moss, September 30, 1941 in Afolkey, Il. He preceded her in death on January 26, 2003.
Vivian graduated from Dakota high school in 1937 and entered Deaconess Hospital (now FHN) School of Nursing in Freeport the same year, graduating in 1940 with a R.N. degree. She received her nurses training affiliation at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, which she said was a real "eye-opener for a country girl from Dakota". During 1941-1944, while her husband was stationed in the Navy, she worked in hospitals in Williamsburg, VA, Bremerton, WA, and San Francisco, CA. In San Francisco she worked in polio convalescent care. When her husband was assigned to the Philippine Islands during WWII in 1944, she returned to Freeport. After her children were school age, she returned to nursing full time at Freeport Memorial Hospital (now FHN) working nights, then days as a floor supervisor, and ending her hospital career as an instructor for student nurses at Freeport Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. She really enjoyed her time teaching the students all fundamentals of nursing. In 1965 she began working for Ophthalmologists Dr. Elwood Kortemeier as his surgical nurse, and in 1982 for Dr. Raymond Alberts as his assistant/nurse until her retirement in the fall of 1982.
Religion was an important part of her life and she was a 70 plus year member of Embury United Methodist Church (now Harmony United Methodist) and volunteered in many aspects of church involvement, most notably arranging funeral lunches. Singing and music was an important part of her life, and she was a member of the Embury choir for many years until she "retired" her voice at age 70. She sang songs or hummed tunes she could remember everyday, especially the last year, until a week before she died. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (rooting for the Cubs) and "Count Your Blessings" were a couple of favorites along with many hymns and the singing of "The Palms"-a tradition every Palm Sunday at Embury Church.
After her retirement, she and her husband enjoyed taking their grandchildren on many trips, including the Dells, Woodhaven Lakes, and in 1986, the Vancouver Expo 86 World's Fair.
Surviving are her sons, Robert (Patricia) Moss, Marco Island, FL and Jim (Norma Mosiman) Moss, Freeport; daughter, Janet (John) Whiton, Freeport; three grandchildren, Brian (Betty Chen) Whiton, Brooklyn, NY; Carrie (Mark) Helm, Freeport; and Amanda (Steven) Burski, DeKalb, IL; four great-grandchildren, Owen, Colin, and Eden Loraine Helm, Freeport, and Tristan Burski, DeKalb, IL
Vivian was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brothers, Lester and Homer Fehr, and her sister, Miriam Farnam; and grandchildren, Mark Metzer and Marie Metzer.
Special thanks to Parkview Home and especially the nursing staff for their compassion and loving care for Vivian, especially this past year, and to FHN Hospice for providing an extra level of services to her and her family.
A celebration of her life memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established for Freeport Memorial School of Nursing Alumni Scholarship Fund (for nursing students), and Harmony United Methodist Church. Condolences may be shared at www.walkermortuary.com.