John R. Moen

With heartfelt sadness, we announce that John R. Moen – beloved and cherished father, devoted partner, and good friend – died on August 17th, 2022.

Born in Fargo, ND, on July 23rd, 1950, to parents Richard and Marjorie (Olson) Moen, John spent his life as a proud resident of Moorhead, MN. Graduating from Moorhead Senior High School in 1968, where he was an “okay” student and football team captain, he made many lifelong connections to people and places in and around the community. He graduated from Moorhead State University later in life, but was and will always be a Spud.

In 1969, John went to Indochina. Stationed in Laos and Thailand, he served as an Intelligence Operations Specialist for the United States Air Force. Upon his return stateside, he was stationed at Offutt AFB, where his duties as an intelligence operative continued for SAC. He returned to Moorhead in 1972 and received his discharge from the North Dakota Air National Guard in 1974.

After his military service ended, John found his purpose and passion as a carpenter and craftsman. For nearly 30 years, he owned and operated Moen Construction through which he built, remodeled, and refurbished homes and commercial spaces around Fargo-Moorhead and the region. In 1983, John became the representative from Ward 1 to the Moorhead City Council. During his tenure, he worked to modernize and professionalize municipal management in the City of Moorhead and helped facilitate the creation of the Office of the City Manager. From that point forward, John maintained a close eye on the city’s affairs and cared deeply about the community – its past, present, and future. He truly loved this town.

Throughout the years, John developed into the embodiment of the spirit of Moorhead: dark-blue collar with pristine white cuffs (heavy starch). He enjoyed being outdoors, hunting and fishing, hanging with his buddies, relaxing at the lakes, driving down dirt roads, playing cards, lecturing on current events, and complaining about the Gophers, Vikings, and the Twins. Overall, he was a conscientious and caring man who met life’s many challenges with conviction and perseverance. Each day he worked to craft himself, and his son, to be people of merit and high character – to be better today than we were yesterday. This will be harder to do without him, but as he often said, “we’ve still got [work] to do”…

In 2011, John met his last love, Peggy. Together they moved forward in their journey called “Life” and were blessed to share many wonderful times and create many memories with special friends and family.

John is survived by his son Justin (Mary-Alice) Moen, of Lawrence, KS; his loving partner Peggy Hill, of Fargo, ND; and, his brother James Moen, of Fargo, ND.

He was preceded in death by his sister Kay, his father and mother, his brother Jerold Moen, and his step-son Derek Gordon.

A memorial service will be held Friday, August 26th, 2022, at 11:00 A.M., with visitation for one hour before the service at Wright Funeral Home in Moorhead. A celebration of his life will follow at Vic’s Bar and Grill.

A private burial will take place at Prairie Home Cemetery in Moorhead, MN.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the American Diabetes Association: www.diabetes.org