Obituary of Carrie Frances Croatt-Moore

The Croatt and Moore families announce the passing of Carrie Frances Croatt-Moore, 48, on December 5, 2022 in Lake Havasu City, AZ Carrie was born May 17, 1974 in Sibley, Iowa to Dennis and Mary (Shea) Croatt. She spent her early years in Bigelow, MN and the Northwest Iowa towns of Hospers, Granville, and Paullina. She was a 1992 graduate of South O'Brien High School in Paullina. After graduation she enrolled at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, where she completed a Bachelor of Science degree with an emphasis in Microbiology in 1996. While enrolled at Briar Cliff, Carrie met her husband, Aaron, in the Fall of 1993. They were married in Sioux City at the Cathedral of the Epiphany on June 21, 1997. Carrie and Aaron spent the first three years of their marriage in Sioux City where Carrie was employed in the St. Luke's Health System Nursing Library before moving to Emporia, KS in 2000, where Carrie opted to pursue her advanced degree as a Master of Library Science with Emporia State University. After she earned her MLS degree, Carrie and Aaron moved to Detroit, MI where Carrie took positions with the Detroit Public Library as a Librarian I, followed by a position as Librarian II in the Science and Engineering Library of Wayne State University, Detroit. Carrie's love of Science and education drove her to serve the Wayne State and Detroit communities, serving with numerous organizations and on myriad committees while traveling the United States, presenting on academic librarianship. Carrie and Aaron welcomed their two beautiful children, Madeline and Anthony, into the world while living in Detroit. Carrie spent the kids' early years as their mother caring for their needs and taking great joy celebrating their many academic achievements and extra-curricular activities. She was always dedicated to their happiness and health as a first priority and loved being "Mom" in every way. In 2011, Carrie took a position with Boise State University in Boise, ID where she served out her academic career, with her final role serving as Assistant Dean of the Albertson's Library. The Croatt-Moore family, greatly inspired by Carrie's love of all things and her strength, lived the next 10 years in Boise exploring Idaho and beyond while raising Madeline and Anthony. Carrie semi-retired from academia in 2019, to focus her energy on serving as a full-time care provider for her son, Anthony, working in tandem with Aaron as they dedicated the next phase of their life together to caring for Anthony's needs as a cognitively impaired special needs person. Carrie loved to travel. Her favorite travel highlights were the several journeys she took with her family to the corners of the United Kingdom and Canada. In November of 2021 the 4 members of the Croatt-Moore family chose to travel the United States for eighteen months, focusing their travels on fulfilling their goal of visiting the national parks and monuments of the USA while seeking out regional experiences along the way. Carrie and the family enjoyed taking in the sights in many never-before seen and quirky places in the US, but they especially enjoyed their bonding time together as a family: cooking, baking, playing games, hiking, walking, bike riding, singing, or relaxing around a campfire. Carrie was known for her light, energy, beauty, and laughter. She always approached the world with kindness and love, and gave every person the gifts of her smile and her joy. She was graceful, tactful, unassuming, and unselfish. She loved food and especially enjoyed cooking, grilling, and baking at home. She loved gathering with friends and relatives to socialize, and the quiet evenings spent with her immediate family. It is an understatement to say Carrie was a renaissance person, as she tried many new things that took her interest. She often said with a smile, "I can't tell you what I want or what I like. I can only tell you what I don't want or I don't like." This is the result of her love of trying many things and trying as many new things as possible. As she would say to Madeline and Anthony, "Try it once. If you don't like it, you don't have to try it again. But you have to try it once; so you know." Those who celebrate the life of Carrie include: Aaron, Madeline, and Anthony Moore of Boise, ID. Her dearly loved brothers: Nathan (Jen) Croatt of Cloverdale IA, Joshua (Ashley) Croatt of Hospers, IA, and Matthew (Jodi) Croatt of Glenwood, IA; her Croatt nieces and nephews, with whom she always cherished time spent; her beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins form the Croatt and Shea families; her mother-in-law, Anne (Bob) Moore of Boise; her sister-in-law, Kendra, of Norman OK; the many members of her extended in-laws of the Folchert, Lukowski, and Moore families, and her vast network of adored friends she acquired over her years on this earth. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Mary and Dennis Croatt of Granville and her maternal and paternal grandparents, Roman and Vivian Shea, and Jane and Dave Croatt. Per Carrie's wishes, Carrie will be cremated and a portion of her cremains will be laid to rest with her parents following a Catholic funeral mass during a memorial service planned for the Spring of 2023. Offerings of condolence can be arranged with the Croatt and Moore families. carriecroattmoorememorial