Jo Anne Moehring

Jo Anne Trexler Moehring, 95, of Edmonds, Washington, departed this life for her heavenly home on August 6, 2026. She leaves behind the earthly treasures of her family…her sister & brother-in-law Gretchen & Judd Gordon; her 4 children and their spouses: Karen (Kevin) Smith, David (Eileen) Moehring, Jennie (Ed) Ortler and Becky (Dan) Wilcox; her 9 grandchildren: Joel & Daniel Smith, Erin (John) Spiegel, Sam (Tiffany) Moehring, Hannah & Will Ortler, and Colin, Sabina & Elisabeth Wilcox; her 5 great grandchildren; plus many nieces, nephews & beloved friends. Her husband of 55 years, Mel, and her son Paul predeceased her. A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date in the Seattle area.

Jo Anne Trexler was born on June 24, 1931 to Louis and Jessie Trexler of North Platte, Nebraska. Her father’s civil engineering profession led to the family moving numerous times during the Great Depression before finally settling down in Sheridan, Wyoming for Jo’s elementary school years…which she recalled with great fondness. Moving to Seattle, Washington at age 12, she grew up in the Magnolia neighborhood, along with her older brother Gene and little sister Gretchen, attending Queen Anne High School, and eventually graduating from the University of Washington in 1953 with a BS in Home Economics (and a minor in Chemistry…which she was very proud of!) She pledged Gamma Phi Beta while at UW, making many lifelong friends and, coincidentally, started dating another Queen Anne HS alum, a Theta Chi from the fraternity next door, Mel Moehring. It wasn’t long before the two decided that marriage was the next step…in fact, Jo opted out of walking for graduation and also decided to forgo her dietitian internship in order to marry Mel. As she often said, “I decided to cook for my family instead.”

Following their “moved up” June 12th wedding (due to Mel’s concern about receiving his US Air Force orders early), the two honeymooned at Camp Orkila on Orcas Island, and then departed for Reno, Nevada for Mel’s first station at Stead Air Force Base. It was in Reno that the first of their 5 children, Karen, was born. Returning to Seattle in 1955, 3 more children soon followed…David, Paul and Jennie. Jo always managed a busy household with organization and hospitality, putting her well known cooking skills to use feeding her growing family…which expanded once again in Lake Oswego, Oregon with the addition of Becky. Family times, good food and abundant music were always a priority for Jo as Mel’s job took the Moehring clan down the West Coast to Fullerton, California before finally making a cross country move to Boxford, Massachusetts in 1976…where Jo believed she was always “meant to live.” And this was most certainly true as the Northeast US became home for Jo, Mel and their extended family for 34 years, until Jo returned to Bellevue, Washington in 2010, following Mel’s passing in 2009. In late 2023, she relocated to assisted living in Edmonds, Washington to be closer to her youngest daughter Becky & family who were a great comfort to her in her final years.

Jo spent her entire life serving the “real treasures” in her life…her family and good friends. Jo & Mel generously hosted their family for many celebrations at their inviting Boxford home…including numerous holiday feasts, skating parties on their pond, personal tours of downtown Boston, the Freedom Trail & Symphony Hall, not to mention the numerous family trips they provided to the Cayman Islands, Ireland, Hawaii, Alaska, and a special Wyoming guest ranch called Paradise. Many of Jo’s closest friends were from her church family, and these dear friends (along with her sister Gretchen & Judd) became frequent companions on the travel adventures that Jo & Mel took…including numerous bicycling trips around their township, along the East Coast and to various places in Europe.

Jo always made a point to stay connected to those she loved, whether in person or through her wonderful cards and handwritten letters. She never forgot a birthday or an anniversary. She also made sure to pass on her love of music to her children & grandchildren. Whether she was whistling while vacuuming, playing classical music on the stereo, sitting at the piano waiting for dinner to be ready, or singing in the church choir, Jo LOVED music, and she continued to enjoy it to her last day.

Although raised Presbyterian, Jo made the selfless decision to follow Mel’s Lutheran tradition when they married, which showed her commitment to unity in raising their children in the faith. This truly embodied the deep character and devotion to God and her family that Jo had, and it was clearly evident in her life as a beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt and oma. She always preferred to be in the background serving, rather than in the limelight, despite her many gifts and talents. Like the Proverbs 31 woman of Scripture, Jo was a woman “of noble character” whose “children arise and call her blessed.” Her legacy of family, friends, music, service and faith will live on in the lives of those she loved and served so well.

Well done, good and faithful servant, Jo Anne! (Matthew 25:19-23) To God be the glory!