Jane Pratt Moraghan

Jane Pratt Moraghan, 104, a longtime Litchfield, CT resident, died Saturday, December 5, in West Chester, Ohio.

Born in Plymouth, the daughter of David and Ada Welton Pratt, she graduated at age 16 from Terryville High School. In 1937 she graduated from Connecticut State College (renamed University of Connecticut two years later) where she majored in English, acted in campus theater productions, and was manager of the women’s basketball team.

She remained a loyal Huskies women’s basketball fan until her death. On her most recent birthday, November 20, the team sent her flowers and made a video greeting, “Happy 104th Birthday, Jane, our biggest fan in Ohio.”

After college, she taught at Thomaston High School and The Unquowa School in Fairfield. She married Martin J. Moraghan, a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, in 1942. After the war, they settled in Litchfield, her husband’s hometown, where they lived for 59 years until moving to a retirement community in Ohio near their daughter Janet. Mr. Moraghan died in 2009.

Ms. Moraghan taught in the Litchfield public schools from 1962 to 1972. She was active in community affairs, including the school building committee, League of Women Voters, Litchfield Garden Club, St. Anthony’s Daughters of Isabella, Women’s Forum, and Red Cross Bloodmobile. She narrated a tape for a walking tour of historic homes that the Litchfield Historical Society made available to the public. An avid reader, she was a patron of the Oliver Wolcott Library where she recorded books for the blind.

She is survived by her children, Martha Jablow of Philadelphia, PA, Janet Moraghan of Sharonville, OH, and Michael Moraghan and his wife Nadine of Bloomfield; grandchildren, Jennifer Zinser Gooding, Cara Jablow, David Jablow, and Sarah Moraghan; great grandchildren, Andrew Gooding and Sophia Gooding; many nieces, nephews, great-nephews and great-nieces.

A memorial service will be held in Litchfield at a future date when travel and social gatherings are safer.

Memorial contributions may be made to Grace Hospice, 4850 Smith Rd., #100c, Cincinnati, OH 45212.