Joanne G. Moss, age 86 of Helena

Joanne Gertrude Moss passed away peacefully on July 25, 2025 to join Jesus and her late husband, Martin Moss (deceased on November 29, 2021). She was born on June 5, 1939 in Tacoma Park, Maryland and was the second of three children with one older brother, Anton and one younger brother, Gary.  She always loved music and played in the University of Maryland band, mostly the piccolo but also the flute. She was a talented pianist as well. She also took ballet lessons and greatly enjoyed dancing.  She met Herman, her first husband while she was in college.  They married in 1962 in the Chapel at the University of Maryland.

Herman was a businessman who developed and sold many varieties of agricultural products which took them from Maryland to Syracuse, New York where her son Karl was born in 1963.  She taught home economics while in Syracuse.  They moved to Mankato, Minnesota where she continued teaching, followed by Omaha, Nebraska where her first daughter, Karri was born in 1966.  They then moved to Billings, Montana in 1969 where their final child, Katy was born in 1970.

While in Billings, Joanne devoted her life to her family raising three children and supporting her husband’s business ventures.  She was a homemaker all of her life, loving to cook, bake, and care for the children.  She kept active doing all sorts of crafts including sewing, knitting, and crocheting.  She also enjoyed playing bridge with her friends.  Later, after her children were older, she worked as a plant lady where she watered and tended plants for many businesses in town. She was very active in the Republican Party, attending the 1984 Republican National Convention as a delegate from Montana.  She was proud and honored to meet and shake the hand of the future president, Ronald Reagan.

After her first marriage dissolved in early 1989, she met Martin Moss later that year and they married in October 1993 on the rocky shore of Lake Powell.  They spent the summers outside of Arlee, Montana at “the cabin” and the winters in Page, Arizona but later moved to Payson, Arizona in 2002.  Both Joanne and Martin loved to watch the sunrise and set on the Mission Mountains of Montana and on the Mongollon Rim of Arizona.  They shared a special bond with their love of the outdoors and witnessing the changing of the seasons. During this time, they took many trips in their RV and traveled overseas.  In 2019, the couple decided to stay in Payson year-round and let the younger family members tend to and enjoy “the cabin” by the creek in Arlee.

Joanne began quilting about 25 years ago and has crafted hundreds of exquisite quilts cherished daily by her family and friends.  Charities have been the grateful recipients of her useful works of art as well.  Sewing was always one of her great loves and finest talents.

She is survived by her son Karl and Jennifer Wessel and their children and grandchildren (Chance and Hannah Wessel with grandson Brooks and Cade Wessel), daughter Karri (late husband, Brian) Haw and son Herman, Katy Wessel and husband John Mehan and daughter and granddaughter (Kelsey and Tristen Bergan with granddaughter Kaycee), stepdaughter Marta and Doug Senz and son John Scott, and stepdaughter Laurie and Keith Rood and their children and grandchildren (Brandon and Brianne Rood with granddaughters Maddison and Abigail and Tyler and Claire Rood with grandsons William and George).

A celebration of Joanne’s life will be held at Anderson Stevenson Wilke and Retz funeral home on Thursday, August 7 at 1:30 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Peter’s Hospice.

Service Schedule

Visitation

12:30pm to 1:30pm

Thursday August 7, 2025

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Funeral Service

1:30pm

Thursday August 7, 2025

Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home

3750 N Montana Ave.

Helena, Montana 59602

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Burial

Following the Funeral Service

Thursday August 7, 2025

Forestvale Cemetery

490 Forestvale Rd.

Helena, Montana 59602

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