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Marie Mooar was born in Peoria, Illinois in 1909 and raised in Michigan. She went to college at Michigan State University where she majored in science and mathematics. She graduated in 1929 at age 20 and began here life-long career teaching high school biology in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She returned to Michigan State University and obtained a masters degree in Botany in 1933. At age 50 Marie applied for and received a National Science Foundation fellowship for summer study. She chose to attend the University of Montana Biological Station on Flathead Lake. From 1959 until 1963, Marie was funded by NSF each summer to take classes and collect clams and sponges for the University of Montana and the Field Museum in Chicago. In the summer of 1964 Marie assisted Gerald Prescott and William Vinyard teaching phycology, mycology, and aquatic botany at The University of Montana Biological Station.

From 1965 to 1970 Marie Mooar was hired by University of Montana botany professor, Sherman Preece to collect wetland plant flora for the U of M herbarium during the summers. She traveled the valleys and mountains of western Montana searching for plants. Some of her favorite areas were Glacier National Park, Seeley Lake, Flathead Lake, Thompson Lakes and the Bull River. After the grant money ran out in 1970 Marie retired in 1971 from her teaching job in Michigan and moved to Montana where she collected, identified and mounted specimens at the Biological Station for the next five years. In 1977 she moved back to Michigan to be closer to family. Marie died in the winter of 1997 at the age of 88.