CWU lost a beloved member of its family last week when Dr. Stella Moreno Monroy, a longtime professor of Spanish and Latin American literature, died while visiting family in Colombia. 

Her colleagues said she suffered a massive stroke in late July, which led to her passing.

Moreno was a devoted educator at CWU for 31 years who will be remembered for her passionate advocacy of humanities education. She took pride in being a leader for the Latino and Latin American Studies program, serving as director from 2012-17.

She also played a crucial role in building a community of Spanish-language literary writers in the Pacific Northwest and supported Ellensburg’s Hispanic community by serving on the board of directors of the Apoyo food bank and advocating for Spanish-speaking residents of Ellensburg. 

Before entering academia, Moreno worked as an editor and public relations coordinator for the Spanish Newspaper Publishers Association in Madrid, Spain, from 1978 to 1983.

Moreno’s award-winning poetry has been published in multiple languages, and she produced a number of literary translations from English, Danish and German into Spanish during her career. 

“I will remember Stella as the colleague who filled our hallways with poetry and song,” department chair Michael Johnson said in an email. “We will miss her immensely.”

Memorial service plans have not yet been announced. Please visit the College of Arts and Humanities Facebook page for updates.

If you need more information, please contact Amy Lyn Jenkins at Amy.Jenkins@cwu.edu.