Naomi Eileen Moody

Naomi Eileen Moody, 82, of Chariton, Iowa passed away in her home on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton Iowa, October 5th 2021. A luncheon will follow.

Naomi was born on October 5, 1938, to Rev. Kurt Matschulat and Rev. Iva (Herring) Matschulat in Chesterfield, Missouri.

Naomi sang in a trio during her youth with her sisters Lois and Meta and was an accomplished Accordionist. The trio’s favorite song was “The Love of God.” Naomi left home after high school to attend Central Bible Institute in Springfield Missouri where she was member of the world-renowned Choir and radio show Revivaltime. There she’d make many long-term friendships including a friendship with Dino Karstonakis a well-known entertainer of Branson Missouri.

After college Naomi moved back to Wood River Illinois and took up residence in an upstairs apartment on Ferguson Ave. where she’d work for the St. Louis Army Induction center. While living in Wood River she met and married Jackie Wayne Moody on September 19th 1964. They would be blessed with two children Dawn Michele and Kevin Wayne. Naomi would go on to financially support Jack and their children by working at J.C. Penney’s in the Battlefield Mall in Springfield while Jack studied at Central Bible College (formerly Central Bible Institute) to become a minister. After working at J.C. Penny, she went to work at the Secretarial Pool at the Gospel Publishing House on Booneville Avenue. While working at GPH Naomi became the personal Secretary of and friends with Bartlett Petersen a former CBC President and then General Secretary of the General Council of the Assemblies of God.

Naomi was renowned for her wit and sharp sense of humor. While working for Rev. Petersen he complained to her one too many times about the lack of heat in his office. In response Naomi acquired a pair of long-legged flannel underwear and did a poor job of dying them red. The pair was packed in a fancy gift box and given to Rev. Thomas F. Zimmerman, then The General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God where he presented the package to Rev. Petersen during a meeting of the General Council Leadership. A slow, low, and heavy laugh emanated from the room at first and then the entire council broke out into laughter. Naomi was immediately respected for her boldness, revered for her sense of humor, and I think a little feared for her ability to prank the top two leaders of the organization.

Jack and Naomi left CBC early to Pastor the Assembly of God church in Percy Illinois at the request of Richard W. Dortch. The couple would become ordained ministers with the Illinois District. They also Pastored churches in St. Elmo Il., LeClaire Iowa (where her father Pastored a few decades earlier) and finally The Chariton Assembly of God.

After many years together in Ministry Naomi was abandoned by her life partner as he pursued a relationship with another woman and left the ministry. They lived in Chariton at the time where Naomi remained until her final breath. Jack filed for bankruptcy and divorce leaving Naomi to fend for herself. She was severely fractured by this and would never be the same person again, though she tried. But she remained stuck in this moment, this year would have been her 57th Wedding Anniversary had the couple remained married. The middle of September was a difficult time for Naomi and her children as she would simply call them and cry.

After being abandoned in Chariton, she worked at a factory in Osceola for some time. Later Naomi became a secretary for the Security department of the Veterans Administration in Knoxville Ia. She was able to move from an income-based apartment and purchase her own home. This was Naomi’s post marriage golden era.

Those left to cherish her memories are her children: Dawn, (Jeffrey) Musick and Kevin, (Donella) Moody; 4 Grandchildren Jeffery, Zachary, Iva, and Sara; 5 great grandchildren Esther, Jude, Leonidas, Kai, Keith; siblings: Meta (Tim) Hume and brother-in-law, Ron Ams.

She was preceded in death by her parents and four sisters.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers that you donate to her final expenses. You may do so by contacting the Pierschbacher Funeral Home or donating to a fundraiser on Facebook.