Francis Edward Moriarty

Francis Edward Moriarty was born to William Moriarty and Evelyn (ne George) Moriarty on July 17, 1924 in Baychester, New York; the youngest of three sons. His father’s family owned the Linwood House, a “country hotel” in Coytsville, now part of Fort Lee, New Jersey. The hotel was used as a filming sight in the nascent, pre Hollywood days of the film industry in northern New Jersey. Francis’s parents separated in his early youth and his mother, a registered nurse, moved with the boys to Bayonne, New Jersey. In 1941 she bought a new house on Carnation Drive in New Milford, NJ, and moved there with Francis. He resided in New Milford for the next 82 years. Francis enrolled in Teaneck High School, from which he

graduated in 1942.

The Moriarty’s were a sea-faring family, and all three Moriarty boys decided to become merchant seamen. Francis and his middle brother Austin were accepted to the newly established United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY, from which Francis graduated in May 1944, in a wartime accelerated program. Unlike elder brothers Richard and Austin, Francis chose to accept a commission in the Unites States Navy. He entered the Navy as a commissioned officer at the age of 19. Francis went on to serve honorably in the Pacific Theater aboard the U.S.S. William Ward Burroughs, a cartographic ship that participated in decisive naval victories until the end of the war.

Returning home, Francis met, courted, and married his devoted wife of 77 years, Doris Ottes, in 1946. They had their first son Francis/Frank in 1947 and a second son Kenneth in 1948. After a few more years at sea, Francis retired from the merchant service to peruse his desire to become a mathematics teacher. This was achieved in 1957. Francis and Doris then welcomed their third child, their daughter Janet.

Francis’s earliest years of teaching were at Westwood High School. Not too long thereafter he moved to New Milford High School where he happily remained for rest of his long teaching career. While a mathematics teacher, he spent many years also coaching school sports including football, baseball, and fencing. He refereed wrestling and kept time for numberless basketball games around the county.

Francis was also active in Kings Point alumni affairs. He worked for many years with the sitting local Member of Congress in identifying and selecting qualified candidates for the Academy, including the first women to attend and graduate from Kings Point.

Francis was an avid golfer, playing a scratch game. He had a wide circle of friends and associates. His family grew to number four granddaughters, four grandsons, and five great granddaughters, all of whom, together with his wife Doris and three children, survive him.

A lifelong devoted Christian, Francis was a member of the New Milford Baptist Church.