Daphne P Mooney

She was born April 3, 1931, the daughter of Sidney Burt and Eleanor Jane (Crishop) Fosmer, in Oak Park, Illinois. She lived most of her life in Oak Park, later moved to Geneva, Illinois and then to Pekin.

Daphne enjoyed travel and was an accomplished artist. She traveled to Alaska, China twice, Europe several times and many times to Hawaii. She studied fine arts at Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, Illinois and was awarded a BFA degree in 1978. She enrolled in graduate school at Northern Illinois University and earned an MFA degree in 1986. She later taught fine arts at Oak Park-River Forest High School and Rosary College. Although she created pieces in many different media, her greatest accomplishments came in jewelry and basket making. She was an active member of the Fox Valley Basket Weavers Guild. She left a legacy of many beautiful objects that her family and friends will enjoy as they remember her. Before starting her education, Daphne was active in the League of Women Voters and was a literacy volunteer in Project Head Start.

She is survived by her three children, Ralph T. (Sandra Thomas) Mooney of St. Charles, Illinois, Thomas B. (Marlee) Mooney of West Hartford, Connecticut and Cory Ann (Richard) McCoy of Pekin. Other survivors include her grandchildren, Courtney (Joshua) Gettig, Christopher (Elizabeth) Mooney, Emilee (James) Scott, Caroline Mooney, Patrick (Katie) McCoy, Maren (Nathan Dozard) McCoy, eight great-grandchildren, Joshua, Lillian and Emily Gettig, Evelyn and Eleanor Mooney, Vivian Scott and Walter and Lola Dozard, and many loving nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas R. Mooney in 2006, her parents, her sisters, Mary Hall and Martha Wells Fulton and her brothers, Alfred Fosmer and John (Jack) Fosmer.

In accordance with Daphne’s wishes, there will be no visitation. A celebration of Daphne’s life will be held at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in her honor may be directed to The Salvation Army (243 Derby St., Pekin, IL 61554 or www.salvationarmyusa.org) or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (6931 Arlington Rd, 2nd Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814 or www.cff.org).

To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com