James Myron Moeller, a former Miller Place school teacher and an active East Hampton resident, died at on Jan. 22. He was 73.
A teacher for 37 years, Moeller was passionate about education and the school system, which extended into his retirement.
Born on Oct. 23, 1938 in Spencer, Iowa, he was the son of the late Myron Moeller and Lillian Yeutter Moeller. As a teenager, he assisted in his parents' hardware store and plumbing business. Active in music and obtaining an amateur radio license, Moeller graduated as salutatorian from Milford, Iowa Consolidated School in 1956. He attended Iowa State University in Ames, where he was manager of the football team and a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity, graduating in 1960 with a business baccalaureate degree. He further earned a Master of Liberal Studies from the and a secondary teaching certificate from the New York State Education Department.
From 1962 to 1993, Moeller taught mathematics in Miller Place schools, where he also coached the high school golf team to a state championship, coached its girls’ cross country team and advised many senior classes. He was also an active union member and president of Miller Place Teachers Association. He served on various committees in the Mount Sinai Congregational Church and was a tenor in the Whalers Barbershop Chorus.
Diagnosed with cancer as a young man, Moeller was successfully treated at the Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.
He and his wife Mary Ella Parsons Moeller, with whom he recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, moved to East Hampton 13 years ago. They became very active in the community. He was a committeeman for the , president of the East Hampton Rotary, played the organ for the Riverhead Eastern Star, and enjoyed membership in the . He also joined the Bonac Amateur Radio Club, where he contacted almost every country in the world with his radio.
In addition, he was a deacon of the and a volunteer for and . He and his wife regularly attended and were vocal at meetings.
Within the New York State Retired Teachers’ Association, Moeller was treasurer of the East End unit, treasurer and president of the Long Island zone, budget and finance committeeman and chair of the NYSRTA Insurance Trust Fund.
He also received the highest NYSRTA achievement awards: Long Island’s Distinguished Service Silver Tray Award and The New York State Retired Teachers’ Association’s prestigious award, The Certificate of Recognition, given to a member who has shown outstanding leadership in the field of education and service through retirement. His other interests included golfing, flying small aircraft, calligraphy, and crossword puzzles.
In addition to his wife, Moeller is also survived by his daughter Mary Beth, son-in-law Walfrid Gustaf Lundborg III, and grandchildren, Ava Elizabeth and Ashton Ryker Lundborg, and brother Gary Milford Moeller of Arnolds Park, Iowa.
A memorial service will be held at the on Feb. 8 at 1 p.m. Internment will follow at the Cedar Lawn Cemetery in East Hampton. Afterwards, his family will welcome friends to share their memories in the First Presbyterian Session House.
Contributions may be made to the Southampton Hospital/Cardiac Rehabilitation, 240 Meeting House Lane, Southampton, NY 11968 and the First Presbyterian Church of East Hampton, 120 Main St, East Hampton, NY 11937 in Moeller's memory.
This obituary was submitted by Jim Moeller's family.
