On the evening of Friday September 18, 2015, Lola Moffat passed away less than a year after being diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma. She was only 37, and is survived by her sister, Katie Daly, and a niece and nephew. She was a talented massage therapist, graduating from Centerpoint School of Massage this year. She was an active and beloved member of the Paganistan community. A member of the Wiccan Church of Minnesota, and regular attendee of the Earth House Midsummer Gather, she touched the lives of many Twin Cities and upper Midwest Pagans. Known for being a kind and loving person, the community was able to come to her aid after her diagnosis with a fundraiser last May.
Lola received a healing blanket and necklace at her fundraiser and healing ritual in May.
Some community members shared these remembrances of Lola:
One thing that inspired me, was when she told me that she had cancer. I had cried and broke down and got angry. She just listened to me. When I finally calmed down and pointed out that she was handling things far better than I would have, she said ” I’ve done my share of crying too.. but I plan on having a long summer. ” I was amazed at how she handled everything with a smile and a natural grace. – Tanya Johnson
Even after her diagnosis, she still wanted to do massages and help people. That was her calling, massage work and teaching massage.. She gave me, a fellow massage professional, one of the best masssages I’ve ever received. She also taught my wife to massage my back, that way her work will continue on. – Cosmic Popeye
Lola understood grasped new concepts so quickly it was almost disorienting.
Lola called me one day and asked for help buying a computer, and it sounded like she was starting from scratch. A month later she was asking me how to install instances of both 16-bit and a 32-bit Java so that she could write a module for her favorite game. The next month she was asking me questions that I still haven’t figured out how to answer.
Being with Lola was like watching The Goddess discovering new toys. Fascination, delight, confusion, patience, and then a sudden grasping of the core concepts and in the blink of an eye asking questions that might take decades to even comprehend.
Lola asked life changing questions. – Ciaran Benson
I was also blessed with Lola’s friendship:
Lola was a really amazing person. She was the first friend I made in MN, sitting around the fire at the Standing Stones’ Mabon in 2012. When I didn’t have anyone to hang out with she went to a Twins game and A Midsummer’s Night Dream at The Guthrie with me so I didn’t have to go alone.
She crashed at my place sometimes when her schedule was insane and I got to be a host after feeling like I had nothing to give anyone for a long time. That meant a lot to me. She probably thought I was doing her a favor but it was a huge blessing to me to once more have the capacity to help and give. And she was a delightful guest.
Our PSG adventure didn’t turn out so great, but it was definitely an adventure. I wish it had gone better and that she’d have got to have the experience she deserved.If I posted on FB that I was feeling blue Lola was the person who would reach out, call me, and cheer me up. I only knew her for three years, and I was hardly her closest friend, but she made a huge impact on my life. I imagine she made a big impact on a lot of people.
I’ve been thinking of how to keep her spirit alive and carry her memory forward. I realized the best thing I can do is to strive to be more like her: kind, loving, and generous. The world needs more people like her. – Star Foster
Lola was concerned about her sister’s financial welfare once she had passed. She was sharing a home with her sister and contributing financially to maintaining that home. Most of the funds raised in the fundraiser in May have already gone to medical bills and living expenses. Lola would be pleased if in lieu of flowers a donations would be made to help her family through this difficult time.
Lola Moffat
