Moonyean Ruth Smarzinski

Born with a beautiful and unique name, which Moonyean carried with dignity and grace - not a day passed that someone didn’t ask how she got it. Her parents, Irvin and Bettie Theilig, saw a movie titled Smiling Through in Milwaukee, 1944 - the rest, as they say, is history. Moonyean embraced this name and found it to be an icebreaker in many instances and a mark of distinction.

Moonyean had a life consisting of many chapters. She married Richard Ihde in 1965 and they were together for 26 years, when he passed away in 1992. They had raised three children together (Terri, Kirsten, and Steven), owned a hardware store in Milwaukee, and moved to Appleton, in 1981. They had a good life filled with family vacations to Copper Harbor, holiday get-togethers and a lot of laughter.

In 1996, Moonyean married Gary Smarzinski, starting a new chapter of her life. They retired together to Hot Springs Village, Arkansas in 2006. They spent their time camping, traveling the world, renovating the house and enjoying each other's company. This union brought a blended family with a total of seven step-siblings and nineteen grandchildren. She always appreciated how the Smarzinski family had so willingly and graciously welcomed her into their lives. Gary passed away in 2016.

Moonyean was an inspiring independent businesswoman, who always paved her own way. She was considered a “connector” - a moniker she took pride in. As a travel representative, she connected travelers to their global destinations. As a hardware store owner, it was assisting customers with solutions. As a realtor, she matched soon to be homeowners to sellers. And for 25-years, she connected executives to their next career opportunity. She started her own executive recruiting firm, Exec Quest, Inc., which she ran until her retirement in 2006. Moonyean believed “when you love your job, you’ll never work again.” - author unknown.

Throughout her life Moonyean was always looking for the bright side of any situation, seeing the positive in most every circumstance was the best way she knew how to “be the change you want to see in the world” - one of her favorite quotes from Gandhi. This was evident during Covid, when she hoped to bring a bit of humor to friends and family around the country. Moonyean created her Morning Chuckles - a daily email she sent out with witty jokes and an uplifting message. It brought her great joy to send a daily smile.

One of Moonyean’s most treasured accomplishments is the book she wrote in 2023, Moonyean's Memories & Morning Chuckles. It was a 214-page labor of love. It gave her the time to reflect on her life, and in her words, an opportunity to realize that her life “has been a great journey!”

Moonyean is survived by her children; Terri (Tracy) Perkins, Steve (Susan) Ihde, and Kirsten (Russ) Brunette, Step-Children; Mary (Jim) Van Dehy, Gwen (Ken) Schreiber, Brian (Kim) Smarzinski, Larry (Sally) Smarzinski, her brother Paul Theilig and 19 grandchildren and step-grandchildren.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Moonyean in August of 2025 (date to be determined) at Community of Joy Lutheran Church in Hot Springs Village Arkansas, where Moonyean’s ashes will be interred next to Gary’s. If you would like to be notified as to the details of the Celebration of Moonyean’s Life, please email: MSMARmemorial@gmail.com

As a memorial tribute, please make a donation in Moonyean Smarzinski’s name to support the Peter Frampton Myositis Research Fund at Johns Hopkins Medicine:

https://www.hopkinsmyositis.org/gift/peter-frampton-myositis-research-fund/