Apr 19, 2023

Ella Louise Moloney

Posted Apr 19, 2023 6:13 PM

Ella Louise (Peters) Moloney, 76, passed away on April 16, 2023, in Shawnee Mission, KS.

Ella was born July 29, 1946, in Joplin, MO, a daughter of James Ralph and Alberta Frances (Johnson) Peters. She was united in holy matrimony to James Francis Moloney on August 31, 1967, at St. Xavier Catholic Church where she was a lifelong member after joining the Catholic Church early in 1967. They resided in rural Junction City, KS on the family farm for 54 years together.

Left to honor her memory are her loving children; Donny Moloney of Wichita, Michelle Moloney (Jane) of Leawood, Cecilia (Brian) Aruskevicius of Wichita, Jean Moloney of Mariemont, OH, Patrick (Erin) Moloney of Shawnee, Sheila (Dan) Smith of Hillsboro, IA, Michael (Courtney) Moloney of Waverly, Megan Moloney (Jerry) of Abilene, John (Jamelle) Moloney of Lawrence, Mary (Korby) Effland of White City. The joys of her life, her 27 Grandchildren; Mary Halligan, Jack, Sam (Cecilia), Oscar, Isabel, Sophie (Jean), Maggie, James, Thomas (Patrick), Cameron, Zachary, Finnegan, Lochlan (Sheila), Sierra, Seth, Silas (Michael), Tucker, Abraham, Blake, Dean (Megan), Josephine, Jimma (John), Ian, Nolan, Sheldon, Norah, Erin (Mary) who affectionately called her G-Ma. She was especially looking forward to being a great G-Ma in the coming weeks.

Additional survivors include: a sister, Sherrie DeBusk of Weir, a brother, Jerry Peters, a sister-in-law, Sandy Peters of Wichita, and many nieces, nephews, in-laws, beloved friends, neighbors, and community members.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Moloney, 3 brothers, Ralph, Roger, and Johnny and one sister, Nancy.

She attended a one-room schoolhouse (Walla Walla) for Elementary School and graduated from Chapman High School in 1964. She often talked of her time at Walla Walla with great delight and love. Chapman High is where she learned her love of music. Her fondest memory of high school is going to the State Basketball Tournament and playing with the band at halftime.

Ella spent her life raising children, farming with her late husband, and as a rural mail carrier. She began as a substitute carrier in 1989 and retired from her long-time route in Chapman in 2015. She was proud to be a mail carrier and looked forward to her job every day. If she was your mail carrier, you could always expect a smile, a wave, fun notes in your mailbox, and that she and her Jeep were dressed for the season! She always stopped to talk as well, if she felt someone needed it, even if it put her off schedule. She was honored to have been chosen as the Kansas Rural Letter Carrier of the Year in 2012. She served as a national delegate for 8 years, held the office of chaplain, and continued to be involved at national conventions. In 2016, she joined Johnson Funeral Home as a support staff member to assist with funeral services.

She was a lover of music, a devout Catholic, an avid bowler, and devoted to her family. She was a member of St. Xavier Catholic Church, the Christian Women’s Club, the Kansas Bowling Association, and a former school board member of St. Xavier Catholic School. She loved music theatre and was a part of many productions with Junction City Little Theatre.

She was always singing or saying nursery rhymes. She was known to put the children in the station wagon on a whim and take them into town to “perform” (dancing, singing, poems) for the residents at the local nursing homes. To know her was to know the size of her heart. There was always room for one more at the dinner table, always an extra dollar for someone in need, and always time to stop and chat. In all of Ella’s travels near and far, she always managed to find someone with a connection to her, whether it be “she used to be my neighbor” or “that’s where my son-in-law is from.” She was a devoted Grandma, and it was truly her favorite endeavor. She was at every possible activity, cheering the loudest, and bragging all the way through. We will always cherish her memory.

Family will receive friends on Thursday, April 20, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at St. Xavier Catholic Church. A rosary will be prayed at 6:30 p.m.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 21, 2023, at St. Xavier Catholic Church. Burial will be at Vine Creek Cemetery in Ottawa County, KS, following the service.

Memorials may be made to St. Xavier Catholic Church.