MOUNT VERNON – Maurine Moody Scott, 95, died peacefully in her sleep on March 17, 2023. Maurine was born as Augusta Maurine Nielsen Oct. 4,1927, in Chicago, Illinois to Gordon F. Nielsen and Esther Bloomstrand Nielsen.
Maurine intensely disliked the name Augusta and at an early age, chose to ignore it. She was the first female student at Ypsilanti High School to take classes at nearby Eastern Michigan University. Her later education at Michigan State was interrupted by her December 1946 marriage to Jack Moody, a divinity student at Boston University, whom she met on a trip home from an intensive Spanish course at Middlebury College. After their marriage, Reverend and Mrs. Moody lived in various towns in Northeastern Ohio, including Mount Vernon, until an advertisement in the back of Harper’s Magazine touting a low-residency option for completing college caught Maurine’s eye. With the full support of her husband, she graduated from Goddard College in Vermont in 1969, later earning a master’s degree in social work from Case Western Reserve University. She pursued her career as a psychiatric social worker at various mental health agencies and in 1991, received an award for her work with Akron Jewish Family Services.
In retirement, she and Jack Moody settled in Mount Vernon, where she pursued social work on a volunteer basis and was an active member of Gay Street United Methodist Church. Her husband Jack Moody died in 1994. In 2001, Maurine married Jack Scott, having been introduced to him by the Gay Street Church secretary.
Maurine liked travel, books and articles that taught her something, investing, meeting people from different countries and cultures and setting a pretty table. She was a social worker to her core, with suggestions for improving just about everything. Always up for an adventure, in her 70s she rappelled down a cliff when her oldest grandson refused to do so. She and Jack Scott volunteered together for the United Methodist Committee on Relief and prepared kits for the production of bookbags for school children around the world. They were also active as hosts and friends of Kenyon College international students.
Maurine was predeceased by her first husband, John Gardner (Jack) Moody, and survived by her second husband, Jack Scott of Mount Vernon; two daughters, Martha Moody (Martin Jacobs) of Dayton and Christine Moody Roudebush (Charlie Roudebush) of Newton Falls; five grandchildren: Eli Jacobs (Adela Kim) of New York City, Simon Jacobs (Samantha Skurdahl) of Portland, Oregon, Michael Jacobs (Nicole Yamzon) of Wimberley, Texas, Jack Jacobs (Janice Martyres Jacobs) of Ferndale, Michigan and Rachel Maurine Moody of North Jackson. She also leaves twin great-granddaughters, Ava and Savannah Moody, of Newton Falls.
A memorial service for Maurine will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Gay Street United Methodist Church. Visitation at the church starts at 1 p.m. Donations in Maurine’s honor may be made to Gay Street United Methodist Church or the charity of your choice.
The Snyder Funeral Homes, Dowds Chapel is handling the arrangements for the family. To share a memory or leave a condolence online, please visit SnyderFuneralHomes.com.
