Maren Faith Moll

Maren Faith Moll, 91 (Feb 22, 1934 - April 29, 2025)

Maren (Molly known to most), slipped into the next realm, in the middle of the night, just 10 days after a beautiful visit with her daughter and granddaughter, for Easter. It was also the day following her anniversary to Michael Peter Moll, both of Chicago, on April 18, 1953. She viewed wedding albums and other photos of family and children, and her life with Mike, before and after his service as a Marine in the Korean War, and Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. She commented that he looked “gorgeous” in his military fatigues and that “he must’ve been the head of the pack.” He was, in fact, a tank sargeant, prior to their marriage.

She grew up an only child to Dorothy and George Swanson on the northwest side of Chicago in the now Logan Square area, attending Kelvyn Park High School. She took two bus routes to get there, where she practiced the violin and excelled in art classes, winning a coveted contest with the prize to attend the Chicago Art Institute and show her drawings at the age of 14. Later in life, she continued on with painting, as a traveling teacher with Nicolet College Adult Community Education for over 40 years in many communities, until an accident, injuring her arm, stopped her painting, at age 84. She sold many on consignment as well as painting Mike’s decoys, that he would carve, and sell in the antique and gift stores they owned.

They began their married life in Williams Bay, raising two children in Lake Geneva, while they created a home based business reproducing Early American accessories then bought a farm near Lake Como where they owned and ran a deli and market, selling their own homegrown organic vegetables and farm raised meats. They were entrepreneurs and trendy business owners, before the times. Maren would serve on the school board there for eight years, while driving to Chicago each weekend to take classes in decorative painting, which she honed, and crafted her skills in, the rest of her life. In 1970, she became one of the first of 5,000 members of the National Society of Decorative Painters, which she retained membership through the rest of her life.

Travels to the Northwoods began on vacations where they built their first cabin on a farm in Gleason, then finding their way to Manitowish Waters. Mike would quit his factory job at American Motors, and Molly would trade her work as bookkeeper, for the life and labor of owning Moll’s Timber Lodge Resort and Timber Treasures & Antiques on Fawn Lake, on the Manitowish Waters chain of lakes.

While running the resort from 1977-1995, Maren would serve the chamber of commerce as the secretary and then executive director for 15 years, and president of the Manitowish Art League in 1983, as well as town board chairwoman for 12 years. She was the only woman then, and since, to serve in that capacity. In one election, she had lost by seven votes but with a recall count, she had won by two.

She also served on the Vilas County board for eight years and was instrumental in securing grants and initiating the Manitowish Waters bike trail that was continued on in later years. Maren was a Charter Member of the MW Lioness Club serving from 1978-2012, and a lifetime member of Friends of the Koller Library and a retired elder of the MW Presbyterian Church. Her final work endeavors was front desk and hosting at Voss’ Birchwood Lodge, where she enjoyed greeting regular guests through the years. Molly and Mike truly loved their lives in the community of Manitowish Waters, for over 45 years.

Her granddaughter was her special friend and grandma Molly was even able to attend Ali’s wedding to Ben, in May 2022, and was a constant supporter of both of them and their relationship together. In a visit, we both kissed her and told her we loved her, not knowing it would be the final time we saw her, and she asked Ali to “next time bring your boyfriend?” which made us laugh as we left. She writes: “I’m grateful to have had my grandma as long as I did. I will cherish the fond memories I’ve had of going to my grandparents’ house as a child and playing in their garden, biking or dribbling a basketball in their driveway, and hanging out in their antique store where I would admire my grandma’s paintings and my grandpa’s woodwork. I will forever worship the paintings I have from my grandma, of a lighthouse on a rocky shoreline, and a wood cabin nestled on a lake in the mountains. My goal now, to honor my grandma’s memory, is to find locations that match these paintings. In the meantime, I will always remember her soft kisses goodbye on my cheek and calling me “Punky” which only she called me.”

They raised a daughter, Jody Beth, who will be forever grateful to have lived amongst wildlife, woods, and water and shared their love of northern Wisconsin. They took me into a family at six-weeks old, that never once questioned that I belonged with them. She is now free from the struggle of Alzheimer’s disease and myelodysplastic anemia, a type of blood cancer she courageously battled for over 12 years. Fly high, mom, you’re finally free and your love for God and Jesus, now has you kept safe and sound.

Maren is now together with her husband of 60 years, Michael Peter (who passed Oct 2013), his parents, Loretta and Peter Moll, his brothers Joseph Moll (who died of diphtheria as a child), George Moll, and sister, Barbara (Jurkowski), and Maren’s mother, Dorothy Kasmar. Surviving is their son, Joseph (Sharon) Moll of Manitowish Waters, their children Jamie Lynn Moll of Ironwood, Mich., and Joseph Michael (Nina) Moll of Arbor Vitae, with their two children (Maren’s great grandchildren) Joseph (Joey) and Taylor Mae, Jody Beth (Christopher) Bognar of Minocqua, and their daughter Alison Kait (Benjamin) Gibson of LaCrosse.

Thanks to the loving and caring staff in the final year of her life at Careview Health & Rehab, as well as Marshfield Clinic Oncology Dept, particularly the nursing staff and all of her friends and family who sent cards or visited, including the support of the Manitowish Waters Presbyterian Church and many members, former art painting students and friends, many special family friends and helpers who looked after her while still in her home, namely Chris Gardner and Kevin Day, and former in-home caregiver, Darlene Bergquist.

Services yet to be set, in late summer, please check the Bolger Funeral Home website for updated information, www.bolgerfuneral.com. Memorial donations welcome to Koller Library, or Manitowish Waters Community Presbyterian Church, PO Box 69, Manitowish Waters, WI. 54545 Attn: M. Moll Fund to be applied towards flowers for the service or other memorials.