Obituary of Dr. John C. Moser

Dr. John C. Moser, 77, Philadelphia

John Moser, 77 passed away Wednesday April 19, 2023 at home.

He was born March 2, 1946 in Phoenixville, the second child and only boy of Dr. Christian Moser and Edith Moser (nee Hamel). John grew up in Spring City, and left his mark within the Springford school district as a football player, wrestler, and indispensable member of the Ferguson-Schleifert-Murtha et al. wrecking crew. His senior year was disrupted by back surgery, which left him convalescing in a body-cast and homebound for several months, likely contributing to the back issues which plagued his golden years.

After graduating from Springford High, John matriculated at Bucknell University, where he brought his irrepressible intellect, joie de vivre (expressed in Animal House-esque shenanigans as a fraternity brother) and (reportedly) profound and intuitive grasp of Chemistry. There was also something about him inventing the first skateboard, and something else about a coed in a red bra. He spent a year abroad at Aberdeen University, during which time he bested several much more experienced and determined local players in a dart tournament. His children will attest that he did have really good aim, and a knack for pulling stuff out of his ass.

After college he worked as a teacher at Devereux, where he met Mary Agnes Benke, and the two were wed August 1970.  Their first child, Autumn Josephine, was born in 1972.  They move to 53 New Road where John (with Aggie’s help) built their family home—demonstrating his lifelong willingness to tackle jobs for which he had zero training or qualification (see: episode cutting down tree which almost takes him out, and the DIY Sloop Entropy). 

John entered Hahnemann Medical College (allopathic, not osteopathic) in 1975, graduating in 1979.  Thus began his long-standing love affair with the practice of medicine.  He started his practice in Morgantown and as the town’s family physician (crazy doc Moser) he commanded respect and affection, and was as apt to heal with humor as with medicine.  He also taught and mentored a plethora of medical students and ARNPS, thus creating a legacy of healing while having fun. 

With home built and first child under-belt, John and Aggie continued to build both the family (Christian in 1977, and Damian in 1979), and the house – adding a room, garage, shed, or hut approximately every 3-5 years.  This was necessary to accommodate the growing family and the proliferation of once used items. In his spare time John engaged in the classic doctor hobbies of skiing, golfing and sailing, expressing his inspired if occasionally reckless approach to life in drunken ski weekends, sailing adventures, and Sunday worship of the God of par.  He maintained a thriving medical practice, providing for both his family and his patients, and adding fun and excitement to the lives of those around him throughout. 

John and Aggie divorced in 2012. He then wed Amy Smith in 2013: his second marriage ended a few years before his death.   His final years were spent winding down his practice of medicine, sailing, and coping with disability attributed in part to his previous back injury 

He leaves behind his three children:  Christian Moser (wife, Christelle), Damian Moser (wife, Sarah)  Autumn Moser (husband, Chuck), two grandchildren:  Charles and Maxwell; two sisters:  Margaret Moser Munz and Christine Moser Nelligan; many nieces and nephews, and a slew of friends, patients, and neighbors. He is predeceased by his sister Elizabeth (Moser) DeMutis, and nephew Jonathan Munz.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 3:00 PM Saturday, May 13, 2023 in the R. Strunk Funeral Home 400 Main Street, Phoenixville, PA 19460, with visitation beginning around 2pm. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to your local animal shelter or SPCA, the Chesapeake Conservancy, or Doctors for America. 

Online condolences and memorial donations can be made at www.rstrunkfuneralhome.com. All arrangements are being handled by R. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Phoenixville, PA.