Daniel P. Moriarty, 88

Daniel P. Moriarty, age 88, of Cottage Grove, died peacefully on Saturday, Feb. 16, at the Norris Square Presbyterian Home in Cottage Grove.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at the St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 920 Holley Ave., St. Paul Park. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 4-7 p.m. at the Kok Funeral Home, 7676 80th St. S, Cottage Grove, and also 1 hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the church cemetery.

Daniel Patrick Moriarty was born in 1924 in Paducah, Ky., to John and Margaret (Cargill) Moriarty. His mother died when he was 4 and his father when he was 6. He was then adopted by his father's younger brother, Joseph, and his wife, Elizabeth, who lived in Enderlin, N.D.

Dan graduated from high school in 1942 and accepted a scholarship from St. Thomas College in St. Paul. Later, in November, he enlisted in the U.S. Marines and served in the South Pacific where he fought in two battles, Guam and Iwo Jima, receiving Naval and Presidential Citations.

He returned to St. Thomas College in 1945 and married Esther I. Horst in 1946 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. He graduated in 1948 with honors and began his teaching career at Morris, Minn., then accepted an English position at St. Paul Park High School in 1954. In 1966, he was selected by his school board and Kent State University to study education behind the Iron Curtain in Leipzig, Germany; Prague, Bucharest, and Moscow. He was nominated for Minnesota State Teacher of the Year in 1967.

Also in 1967, he joined the staff of the Minnesota Education Association, becoming an executive until he retired in 1982, when he founded "the Moriarty Clan," a worldwide family-name newsletter with subscribers in ten countries and 48 states. After two tours of Ireland, he wrote "The Moriarty Story" and became president of the Irish Genealogical Society International.

At age 65, he became a substitute teacher in five districts for 10 years and was famous for his "grandpa stories." He then became a freelance writer of eight published works and nine self-published pieces.

His focus was always on his family and loved to spend time with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He loved animals and was a dedicated and active member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church.

Dan's family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Norris Square, as well as HealthEast Hospice and Dr. Todd Smith and staff at HealthEast Cottage Grove for giving their dad such wonderful care and attention.

He is survived by his children, Peggy (Gary) Nelson, Tom (Terri) Moriarty, Mary (Fran) Graves, Steve (Barb) Moriarty, Patt (Rob) Rowland, Dan (Maurreen) Moriarty; grandchildren, Barb (John), Aaron (Liesl), Brian (Diana), Jeff (Lis), Greg, Michelle (Jason), Angie (Zach), Mike, Kaci, Jacob, Kelly, Scott (Kris), Sean (Jessica), Erinn; great-grandchildren, Sam, Max, Grace, Anna, Luke, Amanda, Jackson, Jillian, Deja, Zander, and Gwenivere; brother, John (Dee) Moriarty; and brother-in-law, Gordon (Marietta) Horst.

He was preceded in death by his wife and companion for 65 years, Esther; parents, John and Margaret Moriarty; infant son Joseph; Uncle Joe and Aunt Bess; son-in-law Gus Hofschulte.

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