Emmett Anton Moline, age 80, of Cambridge died peacefully at home with family at his side on September 15, 2016. A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 7th at 11am at First Baptist Church, Cambridge, MN. Visitation with the family will be an hour before the service. A light lunch will be served immediately following the service. He will be interred at South Maple Ridge Cemetery at 2pm.
Emmett Anton Moline was born in Maple Ridge Township west of Cambridge on March 15, 1936. He grew up out in the country and attended Maple Ridge Elementary School and Braham High School where he was a linebacker on the football team. Emmett was also known by many family members and those in the community as Johnny. He was a woodworker and a welder throughout his life. He married Mary Allen in January 1964. He built his family home where he and Mary raised their family and lived there until his death. An avid carpenter, outdoors man and metal worker, he built a number of pieces of furniture, a sailboat, trailers, and enjoyed numerous hunting trips in his life.
He served as a radar operator in the Air force in Germany, North Africa, France, Luxemburg in the 1950’s. He was also a Sunday School superintendent at North Isanti Baptist church in the late 1970’s. He liked to help others and was very interested in building up a healthy wildlife habitat. Emmett volunteered for the Forest Service at Devil’s tower in Wyoming and the Yaak Valley in Montana.
Emmett died peacefully at home with family at his side on September 15, 2016 at the age of 80 years and 6 months. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Alvina Moline, and brother Valdez Moline.
He is survived by his wife, Mary; children, Michael (Jennifer) Moline, Karen Shih, Timothy (Amy) Moline, Jennifer (Daniel) Carlson, and Mark (Christy) Moline, and 11 grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings, Virginia, Gaynor, Keith, and Carol and sister-in-law, Marlys Moline.
As you and I have said many, many times Mary, so very happy we were able to make a trip of a lifetime to Alaska in June 2016. Emmett was quite the trooper throughout the trip. We cannot know just how painful it was for him. He noticed the little things of our trip. He breathed in, visually recorded as much of Alaska as he could possibly do. There wasn’t enough time nor energy for him to get enough of Alaska.
I will remember for a long time how important it was for him to buy the jacket for you at the Anchorage train depot before we boarded the train for Denali. I will remember Emmett secretively handing money and an item to me to buy for you at the Musk Ox farm in Palmer, AK.
Dick said he could discuss just about anything – books, geography, politics, wildlife, woodworking. He will miss their conversations. “And so it goes” was an often used statement at the end of most of his discussions. Emmett was truly a brilliant man though complicated in numerous ways.
I will miss verbally sparring with him. He seemed to love it. He even began allowing himself to be hugged by me (sort of) in the past few years.
“She keeps me going.” That’s what he said to us about you, Mary. And that you did – for 50 years.
We will deeply miss this spirited man that we came to know over the past 15-20 years. We feel fortunate to have been considered friends.
Mary,
I am sorry to hear this sad news as Dick and Lila had just told me at the FmHA Retirees luncheon about your great trip to Alaska. We always enjoyed seeing you in Mexico. Although I did not know Emmett personally, I knew him through working with you for many years. Will be thinking about you and pray you will adjust to this new phase of your life easily.
Jon & jan
We are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts & prayers are with all of you.
My dearest Mary. “I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Though we have not kept in touch for the last some years, I have always thought of you as a dear, dear friend. And appreciated all your support through work and personally. I did not know Emmett personally, but through you. And you had a full and long marriage and many, many precious memories. I think of you often and with great fondness.
May your many memories give you comfort and you have a great family to give you love and strength.
God Bless You and I love you.