The Soul of John & Delores Moaney
The Soul of John & Delores Moaney
Based on True Events
Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower enjoyed life at their restored farmhouse in Gettysburg; it was the only home they ever owned. But they did not live there alone—two members of their domestic staff, John and Delores Moaney, were their constant companions. In fact, the Moaneys’ presence was so strong and important there that the Eisenhowers’ son John called them “the soul of that place.”
John and Delores Moaney’s lives became intertwined with the Eisenhowers well before they purchased the Gettysburg Farm or moved to the White House. Drafted into the Army in 1942, John Moaney served General Dwight Eisenhower on his personal staff and after the war his wife Delores cooked and served as a housekeeper and personal assistant to Mamie Eisenhower beginning in 1947. The two couples traveled together, with the Eisenhowers insisting on the same first class level of accommodations—usually an adjacent room—even in the segregated South. John Moaney loved the Gettysburg farm and vegetable gardening there. Moaney and “Ike” were frequent companions—together they fished in the pond, prepared vegetable soup, and grilled steaks rolled in salt and pepper. Moaney prepared breakfasts for Eisenhower, cared for his clothing and personal items, and served meals and beverages to guests. Delores cooked delicious meat and potato meals and she and Mamie doted over their own and one another’s grandchildren.
President Eisenhower advanced civil rights in the nation, but he moved cautiously and focused on areas in which he had clear jurisdiction. He first ordered Attorney General Herbert Brownell to end segregation in the District of Columbia. Powell did so by resurrecting and enforcing Reconstruction-era legislation known as “the Lost Laws.” Eisenhower then directed the completion of desegregation in the military. He appointed the first African American, Frederic Morrow, to an executive position on the White House staff. He also selected African American newspaper publisher and civil rights advocate Jessie M. Vann for governmental advisory boards and diplomatic positions. Eisenhower ordered the 101st Airborne to enforce school desegregation in Little Rock Arkansas, for him a difficult decision. Eisenhower then supported and signed the Civil Rights Act in 1957, the first civil rights legislation in eighty-two years. In 1959 he hosted the entire White House staff at a picnic at the Gettysburg farm. His warm and respectful relationship with the Moaneys also illuminates his quiet progressivism.
John A. Moaney was one of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s closest friends. Drafted into the Army in 1942, Moaney served on General Eisenhower’s personal staff in Africa and Europe. Among his other duties, he tended Eisenhower’s two beloved Scotties, Telek and Caacie (Khaki), and their puppies. After the war, Eisenhower retained Staff Sergeant Moaney as his valet and the two men remained together until Eisenhower’s death in 1969. At his funeral, Master Sergeant Moaney served as an honorary pallbearer with Eisenhower’s two brothers and brother-in-law and six military commanders from World War II. Moaney retired from the Army shortly thereafter. He and his wife Delores continued to work for Mamie Eisenhower at the farm in Gettysburg. The couple retired to their home in Washington, DC in 1977. John Moaney died the following year. When Susan Eisenhower, granddaughter of Ike and Mamie, moved to Washington in 1986, she engaged Delores Moaney, then age 69, to care for her three children while Susan ran her public relations business. Now fully retired, Delores Moaney maintains a close relationship with the extended Eisenhower family.
John and Delores Moaney both hailed from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, near Easton. They were childhood sweethearts, but each married another, moved away, and were widowed. They reunited in Washington, D.C. in 1945 and married the following year. As a girl who loved preparing food from the time she could stand, Delores dreamed of one day cooking for a famous person, earning $18 a week, and riding a train a long distance. Acknowledging those were big dreams for a girl of her race, time, and place, she felt satisfaction in their spectacular realization. The Moaney’s home community took great pride in them. Sunday Night Football on NBCe special day at the White House, the Eisenhowers hosted thirty-two members of Deshields and McGee Methodist churches on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, including JohnMoaney’s 67-year-old mother. The New York Times reported, “No foreign or domestic dignitaries ever received a warmer White House welcome than the one President and Mrs. Eisenhower extended today.”
Audio ISRC QT-86J-26-52166
Video ISRC QT-86J-26-52165
Having spent considerable time learning about John and Delores Moaney, it’s clear how deeply their story resonates with themes of loyalty, service, and quiet strength. From personal experience in family caregiving, I can appreciate how Delores’s role went far beyond typical duties; she created a nurturing atmosphere that sustained both the Eisenhowers and their extended family connections. Her cooking wasn’t just about meals but about preserving a sense of home and comfort during travels and in the segregated South. John Moaney’s service as a valet and companion to Eisenhower reflects a rare friendship forged in the pressures of war and leadership, demonstrating how personal relationships can shape history. The Moaneys’ presence at Gettysburg symbolized more than employment; it was about being the 'soul' that held the household and legacy together. Gardening, fishing, and simple pleasures with Eisenhower illustrate a human side to leadership often lost in public narratives. Their story also embodies the gradual yet impactful progress in civil rights within the highest circles of power. Eisenhower’s cautious but decisive actions, supported by appointments of African Americans like Frederic Morrow and Jessie M. Vann, highlight how friendship and trust within his domestic circle might have influenced broader social change. Visiting historic homes or reading about everyday lives intertwined with Presidents often overlooks the invaluable contributions of people like the Moaneys. Their experience reminds me how much personal dedication and courage it takes to break racial and social barriers quietly while maintaining dignity and grace. Today, as we reflect on service and social progress, the Moaneys’ story offers inspiration on how individual lives enrich collective history.
