Kathleen (Kate) Moriarty Ackerman passed away peacefully on May 26, 2018 at her home in Marion. Born in Nantucket on June 22, 1930, Kate was the daughter of Alan Moriarty and Kathleen Cronin Moriarty. After a childhood spent on Nantucket and in New Bedford, Kate went to college at Rivier University in Nashua, NH. She received her B.A. from Rivier in 1952 and her M.A. from Rivier in 1960.
Kate was an educator her entire career, starting as an elementary and high school teacher. She then pursued doctoral studies at Purdue University during which she conducted research at various archives in Northern Ireland. In 1972 she received a Ph.D. in Communication from Purdue with a dissertation titled “The Irish Parliament and George William Russell on Censorship, 1928-1929: A Study of the Contraction and Amplification of an Issue.”
Kate then accepted a position as a Professor of Speech at Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. After many years in New Hampshire, she moved to Marion and continued teaching, both at Bridgewater State University and at Cape Cod Community College. She also ran summer workshops for many years for The New England Association of City and Town Clerks.
Kate is a recipient of the Sister Madeleine of Jesus Award, Rivier University’s highest alumni honor. She enjoyed reading and writing poetry, traveling in Ireland, and spending time with her family. Her husband, John Ackerman, passed away in 1998.
Kate is survived by her stepdaughter Mary Jane Ackerman of East Wareham, her sister Mary Worden of Mattapoisett, her brother Chris Moriarty of Fort Myers, FL, and by eight nieces and nephews, twenty great-nieces and great-nephews, and one great-great-niece. She also leaves her good friend Bruce Chall of Marion.
A private service will be held for the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Standard-Times Neediest Families Fund. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Route 6, Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.
