Muriel Louise Colthart

Muriel was born in Milford, MA on January 16, 1943 to Edwin Thomas Moore and Helen Louise Ward Moore. She was educated in the Hopedale school system, graduating in June of 1961 from Hopedale Jr.-Sr. High School where she played basketball and belonged to the Library Club. After a post-grad year, she attended North Adams State Teachers College and graduated in June of 1966 with a B.S. in Education, Grades K-6. She received her Masters in Early Childhood Education from Lesley College in 1983.

In 1973, she married her sweetheart, the late Robert Edward Francis Colthart, with whom she shared almost 25 loving years of marriage.

Muriel taught Kindergarten for one year at Mark Hopkins Elementary School in North Adams, MA and then 1st-3rd grade for 35 years in the Ashland, MA school system, retiring in June of 2002. She was also a co-op teacher for Framingham College’s Early Education program. She always said that she loved teaching and hopefully inspired many children to read, as reading was her favorite pastime.

Upon retirement, Muriel moved to her home on Cape Cod and shortly after fell in love with David J. Stanlake, her sweetheart of 20 wonderful years. She had a deep love for her family and friends and found great joy in spending time with them. She also enjoyed scrapbooking, crafting, cooking, gardening, and knitting prayer shawls.

Muriel belonged to many groups and organizations, including the Massachusetts Teachers Association, Grade Level Committees, Teachers Assistant Team at Warren School, and she served on the Diaconate Board at Pilgrim Church and PWF Board as Head of Hospitality for many years. She was Vice President of the Amvets Post 333 Ladies Auxiliary and an active member of the Cape Cod Veterans, Inc. team.

Muriel also known to many as Skeeta, Muri, Gramma Giggles, GiGi and Auntie is survived and will be deeply missed by her daughter Kathleen Vagenas and her children, Mark (Kelly), James (Britt), Jayne Payne (Tyler), Thomas (Jennifer) and John (Jada); her sweetheart David J. Stanlake and his son Brian; her daughter Michelle Bean (Robert) and their children, Amanda (Ryan), Melissa and Nicholas; many cherished great-grandchildren; her brother Thomas "Tommie" Moore and his daughters, Melanie and Melissa; her Maine family, June and Red Berry, their children Denise, Chucky and Patrick and many nieces and nephews; her Mendon family, Ken and Joanne Johnson and their children, Laurie, Susan, Sharon (Muriel's Godchild), and Paula.

At Muriel's request, services will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

Cape Cod Veterans Inc: PO Box 81, Dennisport, MA 02639

Cape Cod Wellness Collaborative

Family Table Collaborative