Isobel M. Moore

Isobel Mary Moore, 65, of Woodbury, Connecticut, passed away peacefully at home on April 24th 2025 with her Husband and Son at her bedside.

Born on May 9th , 1959 at her parents' home in Todmorden, England, to Dennis and Annice Crossley, Isobel grew up in a musical household. She learned to play the violin and the flute through the Schools' Music Service in High School, and sang soprano with the school choir there, notably in a performance of the Vivaldi 'Gloria'. Isobel was active in school sports, particularly short-distance running and as a shot-putter. Inspired by her Latin teacher in high school, she enrolled at Ljverpool University, and obtained a degree in French and Latin there. As part of her studies, she spent a year in Montpellier, France, immersed in the French language and culture, which helped enormously when she later worked for an importer of French antiques in Connecticut. She rode a small motorcycle during the early period in Liverpool, sometimes commuting from Todmorden on the M62 motorway. Her biking years ended after an accident near Sefton Park in Liverpool, but she quickly moved on to her first car, a Citroen 2CV, whose quirkiness and charm she relished.

After completing her studies at Liverpool, Isobel got a job at Warwick University in December 1984 as an administrator, working to schedule examinations. She was encouraged by the University to apply for a job as a resident tutor, which included free accomodation in a hall of residence. It was there that she met her future husband, Colin Moore, who was the Hall Warden for Gibbet House, and in the final year of his 3 years' research for a PhD. After completing his research Colin moved to a job in Manchester, but the strength of their relationship continued to grow and Isobel found employment in Manchester in 1986. They were finally married in nearby Stockport, in September 1989.

In early 1990, the couple moved to Ramsey, New Jersey, where they lived for four years. Initially, Isobel's visa did not allow paid employment, but, always keen to try new things, she learned to ski. This was a sport that she would enjoy for many years, and even a bad ski-ing accident in 2019 did not deter her; she was back on the slopes with 10 months! Once she had a green card, Isobel worked as the personal assistant to the head of a dental insurance company in Manhattan, commuting each day on the train from Midland Park NJ in her sneakers. She was thrilled to climb out of the subway at Madison Square Garden and see the Manhattan skyline.

Colin’s new job brought them to Woodbury in 1994, where she paused her career to raise their son, Edward, born in 1995. After Edward started school, she reinvented herself as an administrator for hire, working for several antique shops and businesses in the area. She took great pride in offering a service of the highest quality to her clients, with great attention to detail. Her skills kept her in high demand, and she was recruited to organize Church fairs, weddings, and even a golf tournament.

In another time , Isobel would probably have been a notable 'patron of the arts'. She was always keen for a night at the theater, opera or ballet, and she shared this passion with Edward and Colin (who returned the favor by bringing her to Pink Floyd concerts). A talented singer with a beautiful alto voice, she sang each Sunday as part of the choir at St. Paul's, Woodbury. She later joined the Connecticut Choral Society, which holds concerts locally, and even went with them to Lake Como, Italy in 2017, to perform in the Verdi 'Requiem'.  She was an enthusiastic supporter of the Waterbury Symphony Orchestra (WSO), regularly attending concerts with Colin and served on the WSO board.

Isobel worshipped regularly at St. Paul's church , and took an active role in the running of the building, serving on the vestry committee, and being a member of the altar guild. She would read the Lesson in church from time to time, contributed to 'coffee hours', and helped to organize the annual church fair.

When Edward joined the Cub Scouts, Isobel happily took on another responsibility: den leader. As always, she completely dedicated herself to this new role; learning the handbook front to back, practicing knots before each meeting, and keeping her uniform it top condition. After Edward joined Troop 480 she continued to serve as a leader, and even spent a week at summer camp where she enjoyed canoeing and archery while the boys studied merit badges.

Isobel (Izzy to her friends and family), was diagnosed with Metastatic Liver Cancer on April 4th 2023. Although she modestly demurred when a kind person said this, she fought cancer valiantly for two years. As often as treatment would allow, Colin and Izzy would do special things; a ballet performance in Boston, lunch at West Egg Café in Woodbury, or simply the 3 C's (Coffee, Cookies and Conversation) with friends at home

Prospect Memorial/ The Palmerie Family Funeral Home is honored to be assisting Isobel's family with the arrangements and to provide care along their grief journey.  Sharing your memories and condolences on Isobel's tribute wall on this website will bring solace in their grief.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Isobel M. Moore, please visit our floral store.