Mary Louise Moses died April 19, 2019 in Portola Valley, California. MaryLou was born to Kenneth T. Price and Francis (vonHofsten) Price on December 6, 1929 in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father, a Major in the Army Air Force, who served in both WWI and WWII, was also a science and mathematics teacher. Her mother was an English teacher. Her parents bestowed upon MaryLou a strong ideal of education, democratic participation and an ethic of lifelong learning. Her grandfather (Hugo vonHofsten), an accomplished Swedish painter, instilled in her a vitality for adventure, an appreciation of the visual world and the value and confidence of being herself. From him she learned mischief, imagination, abundant generosity and unconditional love.
The Price family moved to Pasadena CA where MaryLou attended the Westridge School, and got a taste of competitive sports. She attended Bryn Mawr College. The Quaker influence at Bryn Mawr further nourished her sense of social justice. While there she also developed a love of tennis. She graduated in June of 1951 and married her first husband (Franklin S. Coale) a microwave engineer and mountaineer. She obtained her teaching credentials at Pacific Oaks Children’s School in Pasadena in 1953. The couple moved to Portola Valley, CA where they raised 4 children (Franklin S. Coale Jr., Kenneth H. Coale, David T. Coale and J. Matthew Coale). They were active on the Portola Valley Town Council, were founding members and builders of the Ladera Community (Congregational) Church, the local Sierra Club chapter, and many groups that embraced a theme of conservation and democratic engagement. She joined the faculty of Peninsula School in Menlo Park where she taught preschool in “Nursery Blue” for three decades. After some trying family times she and Franklin divorced. In 1968 she married Lincoln Moses, a professor of statistics and later Dean of Graduate Studies, at Stanford University. Lincoln was appointed by President Carter to lead the Energy Information Administration so they moved to Washington D.C. in 1977, where they lived and flourished for 3 years.
On their return to Stanford and Portola Valley, MaryLou and Lincoln both became more active in the Society of Friends. Their membership in Palo Alto Friends Meeting had been recorded on April 23, 1971. Over the years they both served on a variety of Meeting committees including those involved with legislation, peace and freedom, and social justice. MaryLou herself served on the Worship and Ministry, Oversight, and the Hospitality committees among others.
MaryLou and Lincoln traveled, birdwatched and camped extensively throughout California and abroad, including trips to Baja, Mongolia, Scandinavia, southern Africa, and throughout the U.S. MaryLou was a die-hard fan of the Williams Sisters - Venus and Serena. She followed their careers faithfully and even obtained autographs “for her grandchildren” from Venus when Venus competed at Stanford.
MaryLou began her recovery from an addiction to alcohol in 1986 and had been sober for over 3 decades. She was very proud of this accomplishment.
After Lincoln died in 2006 MaryLou moved into the Sequoias, an assisted living facility in Portola Valley. She commented “This is like College! Good Food, Good Friends, Wonderful Conversations and Companionship!”. She was happy until the end. She passed away peacefully the day of the full moon, on Good Friday, at a time of her choosing.
Marylou is preceded in death by her Mother and Father (Francis and Kenneth Price), her sister (Patricia Watson), her former husband (Frank Coale), her husband (Lincoln Moses)and her step daughter in law (Jane Moses). She is survived by a large, extended and supportive family including her sons (Frank Jr. [Lisa], Kenneth [Susan], David and Matthew Coale), her stepdaughters (Katherine Youngmeister , Margaret Schneider, Elizabeth Strain [Larry]), her stepsons (James [Patricia], and William Moses), many (step-and-regular) grandchildren (Megan, Logan, Tyler [Ashley], Ashley [Chris], Elizabeth [Brian], Grace, [Nick], Helen [Brian], Owen, Simon, Allison, Peter, Leo, Sarah [Colin], Julia and Claire) and great-grandchildren (Helen, Genoveve, Thomas, Josephine and Finn, with another due in September). Nephews and nieces include Peter, Sarah, Sterling and Gabrielle Watson.