Mary Dean Triplett

Celebration of life for Mary D. Triplett, 72, in Hudson, WI, she earned wings on January 19, 2022. Mary, as most know her, was born January 25, 1950 in Milwaukee, WI, oldest of 3 siblings. Mary was preceded in death by her ex husband Robert Thomas Moore Sr. Her parents, Walter Triplett Sr and Ella Triplett (Haughton). Mary is survived by her children, Jessica Needs, Robert T Moore Jr (Jenny), Her sisters, Cecila Zackery, Philomena (Charles) Cocroft. Her brother, Walter Triplett Jr. 13 Grandchildren, 2 Great Granddaughter. These are words describing Mary Triplett, born deaf from German Measles during pregnancy to hearing parents during the civil right era as a second generation of deaf family. Her relatives use pad and pen plus homemade sign language to communicate with my mom. Her best memory is about visiting her favorite maternal grandmother in Mississippi during her summer break in her childhood years. Her mother enrolled Mary at public school, Neeskara Elementary school in Milwaukee with Alexander Graham Bell’s oral education with dark history of teach oral to deaf community or their hands spank with ruler by teachers if they use sign language in class til Wisconsin School for the Deaf recruiter visited her school when she was 9 years old. Her mom transferred Mary to WSD, learned to fluent American Sign Language for the first time to communicate with deaf students and staff. Mary experienced segregation for the first time at a girl dorm for not allowing her roommate with white girls til she turned 12. She joined the cheerleader and drama club during her HS years. After her parents divorced, she graduated with certification in 1969, met her first sight of love with Robert (Bobby) Moore Sr @ annual deaf bowling tournament in Milwaukee. He was Iowa School for the Deaf alumni ‘53 and he was one who helped my mom get first driver license while her family believed she couldn't drive due to deafness while they were dating. That changed her life as an independent strong woman that bought out who she was. Mary and Robert T Moore Sr started a family, deaf daughter Jessica born in 1970 and hearing son Robert Jr born in 1972. On August 18, 1973, Robert married his third wife, Mary @ Zion Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN. Mary worked all of her life as assembler @ Honeywell Company with deaf employees in early 1970 for 6 years, enjoying attending church with family @ Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for the Deaf in St. Paul, MN then relocated to Milwaukee, WI to reunite with her relatives. She worked at a nursing home and Rodeway Inn as a housekeeper for 4 years. Mary moved to Des Moines, Iowa with family to be closer to Robert T Moore Sr.’s relatives. Worked at USPS as mail handler for approx. 9 years after work at motel as housekeeper, attended Calvary Deaf Lutheran Church as choir briefly. Moved to Minneapolis after divorced, worked as daycare provider @ McDonald Sunshine day care 13 years, volunteered at Allina Hospice and was a member of Pleasant View Deaf Assembly of God, Deaf Life Church also as choir. Mary remarried to Edward Maurice Cooper aka Hamid Abdul Wadud on February 10, 2001 @ MN Correctional Facility-St. Cloud and ended in divorce few years later. She moved back to Milwaukee, Wi and lived there for a few years to be closer to her relatives, settling in Hudson, WI to be closer to her son and his family. Also she enjoyed traveling with her church members, and visited daughter and her grandchildren in Madison, WI before her daughter’s family settled in Colorado. During her free time, she loves to spend time with family, friends, sewing, hiking, baking goodies, collecting albums, hosting cookouts, and attending church. She enjoys her free time to socialize with her friends and make new friends @ Thompson Hall Deaf Club and member of St.Paul & Minneapolis Black Deaf Advocates for shortly. She loves to tell a story about her life and makes us laugh. She enjoyed sightseeing, collecting plants as one of her favorite hobbies, reading bibles, babysit her granddaughters during her retirement, while she battled breast cancer/type 2 diabetes/heart disease for years til pneumonia and covid 19 took her life. We will miss her infectious smile that brightens the room up and touches people’s hearts. Mary passed away peacefully at Hudson Hospital. Cremated at Estes Funeral Chapel and Cremation Services on January 27, 2022 with no funeral service. There will be a virtual memorial service online with small gifts to family, relatives and friends by her daughter, Jessica Needs (aka Moore Wisconsin School for the Deaf and Iowa School for the Deaf Alumni ‘89)

Mary Dean Triplett

January 25, 1950 - January 19, 2022