West Hartford, VT - Kimberly Wells Moreno, 52, died Saturday, January 6, 2024 following a lengthy battle with cancer.

She was born November 1, 1971, in St. Johnsbury, VT, a daughter of Dale and Judy (Canales) Wells. Kim grew up in St. Johnsbury, graduating from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1989. She attended the University of Vermont and received her undergraduate degree in 1993. She returned to UVM in 1997 to study Special Education and school leadership. Kim believed wholeheartedly that every student deserves the best possible education and devoted her entire professional life to help realize that passion.

After earning two master's degrees in 1998, she began working at the South Royalton School, where she met and fell in love with Jeff Moreno. They were married a year later, on August 5, 2000 in a picture-perfect ceremony at her childhood home in St. Johnsbury, and have raised three wonderful children together. In 2018, Kim became the Director of Special Education at the Hartford School District and has continued working there until her illness no longer allowed her to. Kim was a staunch advocate for children with disabilities and worked tirelessly her entire career to find ways to make all kids feel seen, heard, and loved. She was a mentor and role model to so many educators in the Upper Valley and her passion for helping students find a way to thrive will live on for years.

Family was everything to Kim. She was an amazing mother who always found the time to make her family and her kids come first. She loved watching her kids and her niece and nephew's games, concerts, performances, and other events. Kim had a gift for décor and design and enjoyed decorating the house for every season and event. She made her home in West Hartford a very warm, inviting, and special place. She loved hosting her 'weekend kids' and her summer Upper Valley Nighthawk baseball players and will always have a special place in her heart for those who made her West Hartford home their home. Kim enjoyed road trips with her family and each year she would plan secret trips that would take her family all over the United States. Summers in Chicago were always a favorite, as were trips to Green Bay, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. She would spend hours planning the trips months in advance to make sure every stop along the way had meaning and that every moment was special. Her carefully curated playlists on Apple Music would drop hints as to where the next stop might be. Kim's favorite place remained right here in Vermont at her parents' camp on Joe's Pond. She loved spending summers on the deck of the camp talking with her parents and watching her children and her nephew spend an entire day playing in the water, playing whiffleball, and eating all the delicious camp food. Music was in Kim's soul, and she loved going to concerts whenever possible. It was her lifelong dream to someday meet Eddie Vedder. Kim spent much of the past two months creating playlists for her family and listening to Pearl Jam, Jack Johnson, and Michael Franti.

Kim received topnotch care during the final months of her life and expressed gratitude for the friends and family members who stayed with her and took care of her during this time. She maintained her amazing smile and continued giving to the world even as her time grew short. Her ability to exude positivity and happiness throughout her life was special and she remained a bright light to the end. The care delivered by Gene Soboleski and the entire Bayada team is something the family will be forever grateful for.

She is survived by her husband, Jeffrey Moreno, and her children, Bennett, Flynn, and Quincy Moreno, all of West Hartford; parents, Dale and Judy Wells of St. Johnsbury, a brother, Scott Wells of Clermont, FL., a nephew, Brandon Wells of St. Johnsbury, a special Aunt, Bonnie Sartwell of Barre, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. She was predeceased by an infant son, Jeffrey, in 2005.

A celebration of Kim will be held on Sunday, January 21st, 2024 from 1:00 to 4:00pm at the Cornerstone Community Center in Hartford Village with a sharing of memories at approximately 3:00pm.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Hartford Unified program c/o the Hartford Athletic Department, 37 Highland Avenue, White River Jct., VT 05001 to support creating access to athletics and activities for all students.

Knight Funeral Home has been honored to assist the Moreno family. Condolences to Kim's family may be made in an online guestbook at knightfuneralhomes.com.