Russell F. Moratz, age 97, was welcomed home by the Lord on July 7, 2016. He was born March 7, 1919, in Hartford, WI, son of the late Henry and Laura (Heintz) Moratz, Sr.
He graduated from St. Kilian School in 1933 and Hartford High School in 1936. He received his teaching diploma from the Dodge County Normal School (Mayville) in 1938.
Russell served in the U.S. Army in WWII from 1942-1945 in the European Theatre of Operations. He served as personal secretary to the regimental commander at regimental headquarters division in London.
Graduated from Oshkosh State Teacher’s College in 1948 with a B.S. in Elementary Education. He received his MA in Education Administration from the University of Minnesota 1957 and a MA in Librarianship from Denver University in 1963.
He spent two years working with the American Dependent Schools in Austria in the Salzburg area, the second year as principal
He spent 15 years as a Junior High teacher in the Beaver Dam School system.
He was a member of the University of WI-Whitewater Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa, a professional educational society and the national organization. He was also a member of the UW-Whitewater Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, an honorary society as well as the national organization.
For many years he was a member of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters and the Wisconsin Library Association. He was a charter and life member of the Friends of the Harold Andersen Library, UW-Whitewater.
Russell F. Moratz retired from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with the rank of Emeritus Associate Professor of Library Science, where he was employed for 14 years.
He was a member and volunteer of the Washington County Historical Society.
He was a life-long member of St. Kilian’s Church, a life member of Hartford VFW Post #8834, and a 3rd degree Knight of Columbus, Hartford Council #2689, for over 50 years.
A special “thank you” to the following people who made Russell’s life more pleasant in his later years: Martha Sheridan, Monica Bartley, Sister Eileen Brynda, and Sue Bird.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Kenneth and Henry Moratz, Jr. one sister, Eunice Lehner; sister-in-law Arlene Moratz; and brother-in-law, George Lehner. An older brother died in infancy. He is survived by one sister-in-law, Charlotte Moratz; nieces, nephews, and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday July 12, 2016, at St. Kilian’s Catholic Church, Hartford. Visitation will be held from 1:30 p.m. until time of mass. Interment will be at the old St. Kilian Cemetery, Hartford, following the mass.
Memorials to the Washington County Historical Society are appreciated.