MONROE - Jo Ellen Mosher has spent her career alongside children in Monroe schools and hasn't wavered when it comes to her dedication to the community. She's now retired but spends her time volunteering, traveling and connecting with longtime hobbies and friendships she holds dear.

Mosher was born in Milwaukee but moved to Monroe early on. Her family lived in town and she was part of the neighborhood schools, attending East School. She lived near the fairgrounds and remembers spending a lot of time at many events held there.

Her mother was an elementary music teacher, and Mosher learned piano as soon as she could sit.

"Music was always a big part of my life," Mosher said, noting that later on she would dabble in other instruments. "Piano was more therapeutic for me. My mom would say she could always tell my mood by what I played on the piano."

That musical involvement translated throughout high school. She was part of the marching band, was in a dance group and took part in a woodwind quintet with four friends. She also played in a Tijuana Brass Band in her later high school years, performing at small events in the area.

Mosher took on becoming an exchange student through an International Fellowship program between her sophomore and junior years. She spent about four months in Mexico. In return, she had two students stay with her family - Clara from Chile and Amanda from Mexico City. Amanda was from the family Mosher lived with.

"I've always had an interest and a love to travel," Mosher said.

She kept in touch with Clara for a long time and eventually reunited with her on Facebook. Two years ago, while Mosher was in New York City with her husband, Dave, she posted a photo of their hotel view. Clara's daughter contacted her after realizing Clara was 15 blocks away. Mosher said she and Dave hopped in a cab and, after 45 years, they were reunited.

"It was surreal," Mosher said. "We talked for hours and our intent is to visit again. We're in touch now."

The 1970 Monroe High School graduate knew she would attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to follow in several family members' footsteps. She first studied family resources and consumer sciences because she enjoyed sewing and working with her hands. But she soon narrowed her focus. She worked summers at Pleasant View Nursing Home in the activities therapy department and enjoyed it. Soon, her major changed to occupational therapy (OT).

"The medical part intrigued me," Mosher said. "I just loved the sciences."

At that time, much of occupational therapy was working with mental health patients. Mosher used her creative side and worked through crafting.

Music also followed her through college, but women weren't allowed in the university's marching band. Mosher was determined and marched herself into the office of Mike Leckrone, the band's director, and insisted she be included. She said he was kind about her request, but it simply wasn't possible. He recruited her instead to be a part of one of his other bands, and Mosher accepted.

After graduating in 1974, Mosher would spend nine months on three rotations at Mayo Clinic, the Milwaukee Health Center and the Madison School District. She was the first OT to be taken by the school as an intern.

She soon married Dave and passed her licensing exam. The couple lived in Beloit, and she landed a job at Rockford Memorial Hospital in its rehabilitation department.

She fell in love with the job and the new facility and even taught some piano lessons on the side. She also led the children's choir in the church the couple attended.

"Rehab services was right where I wanted to be," Mosher said. "I was offered a job at Mayo Clinic, but I decided to come back and get married."

She worked at the hospital about three years before the couple decided to start a family. She wanted something closer to home in Beloit and got a job at a nursing home, a position she also enjoyed. When the couple had their first daughter less than two years later, however, they moved back to Monroe after Dave began working for her father in the insurance business.

Mosher had planned to stay home for a while. While grocery shopping, she ran into the school nurse who mentioned the schools were looking to bring in a part-time OT. She soon received a call from the director of special education, who hired her to start at the Monroe school district for eight hours a week in the fall of 1979.

Serving the entire district with so few hours was difficult, but soon the programs grew and numbers grew, Mosher said.

She watched as changes came and went. She saw students and programs become more integrated into classrooms and watched as equal hours were divided through each school.

The latter part of her career was spent with younger children, something she loved greatly, she said.

"I loved to see progress, and I enjoyed working with families," Mosher said. "I loved play-based learning and getting down on the floor. The whole child development piece is still amazing to me."

The last handful of years, Mosher spent mostly at Abraham Lincoln and Parkside schools. She said the reason she stayed so long was because she loved teaching, staff members and a supportive administration.

"It was always something new and challenging," she said.

Mosher retired in 2014 after 36 years. She's proud Monroe had three full-time occupational therapists and two assistants.

Keeping busy hasn't been a problem. She hasn't let go of being with students completely. Mosher still substitutes when needed and volunteers at the school. Mosher tutors through the literacy council but said she has learned to say no to a few things, too. She still loves to sew and spends time knitting with friends.

Mosher found ways to be involved in the community that also use her special skills. In Beloit, she worked with a special needs Girl Scout troop and continued that in Monroe. She also got involved with the Special Olympics in Green County, a group that lacked leadership then. Mosher helped get the organization back on track and has now worked with the Green County Special Olympics group for more than 30 years, actively coaching and as the group's treasurer.

"It has gone by so fast, but I have really enjoyed it," Mosher said, noting how proud she is to see how strong the organization is today.

While her daughters were in elementary school, they swam on the swim team and Mosher served on the board and was president for several years. She also spent many hours volunteering for the teams.

Mosher taught Sunday School for several years and now stays active in church groups and committees. She was also part of the Union Presbyterian church choir, which is special since her mother was the choir director there for several years.

Mosher enjoys traveling and feels lucky she and Dave have been able to take many nice trips through his work. They have been to Europe several times and all over the United States. She began skiing early on in college, and every winter for several years, they skied in Colorado with her family. She hopes once her grandchildren are older, they can continue to do that.

For now, they're enjoying time with their three children and grandchildren, enjoying trips closer to home and have even gotten back into camping with their travel trailer.

Mosher hasn't let her love for music go by the wayside. She plays her French horn in the Monroe City Band and also plays as part of Monroe Brass, a quintet that plays at various events. Her French horn is the one given to her by her mother and is about 80 years old. She also still plays piano at church occasionally and loves to play with her growing grandchildren.

"Music has always been a part of me," she said. "It's something you can easily share with people."