Obituary of Michael Gerard Moynihan

Michael Gerard Moynihan was born in Chicago April 17, 1949.  After a brief stint on the East Coast, he settled in Anamosa and Monticello, Iowa.  He died May 11, 2023, in Coralville, Iowa, from complications of diabetes.

Mike had a love for words.  As a correspondent for the Cedar Rapids Gazette he wrote eloquent human interest stories about Monticello locals like Mary Locher, whose life at age 105 spanned the invention of the light bulb and men walking on the moon.  His Anamosa Journal-Eureka feature, “Normal Life against the Odds”, about harmonica-playing Jim Seely— ‘a small man with a big heart’—won a best feature award from the Iowa Press Association.  His articles were often accompanied by his award winning photographs of their subjects.

Mike was an active member of the Starlighters II Theatre in Anamosa.  As an actor, he appeared in many plays including Paint your Wagon, Murder Once Removed, and A Tomb with a View.  As a director, he was responsible for The Crucible, Feiffer’s People, and Man of La Mancha.  As a board member, Mike worked diligently to improve Starlighters' newsletters, playbills, and presence in the community.

Mike’s keen design sense and drive for perfection were evident in the colorful and graphic posters he created for Starlighters productions including Proof, City of Angels, A Doll’s House, Private Lives, The Crucible, Man of La Mancha, and Godspell. 

Mike had a passion for truth and fairness.  He did not suffer fools, or people who misplaced commas.  He was a keen observer of the absurdities of human behavior, including his own.  His humor was sometimes sharp, and often self-deprecating.  Mike never lost his anger at injustice. 

Mike was the son of John Moynihan and Josephine Moynihan Ferrara, and brother of Sean and Megan. He is survived by Megan and his brother-in-law Andrew Baer; Sean’s sons Joey, Jerry (JB), Casper, and Mojo; and family members from the Bywater, McNeill, Fowler, and Moynihan clans.

No public services are planned. To share a thought, memory, or condolences with her family, please visit Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service website @www.gayandciha.com.