Mary Ellen Quinn

Mary Ellen (Beaton) Quinn, 82 went to the Lord on May 19, 2025 after a brief illness. She was born on November 2, 1942 to her loving parents Elda (Annese) Beaton and Roderick Beaton Sr. Mary Ellen was predeceased by both of her parents, her older brother Roderick Beaton Jr., her son in law John Pepin and her loving husband of 45 years, Tom.

Mary Ellen’s grew up in Somerville, MA in a large and close knit Italian family where close quarters, good food, games and lots of love was always present. She attended Julie Billiart High School in Boston and spent much of her time after school working in a hospital to help support her family as many did in that day.

It was through this work during her high school years where she found her passion for helping people. She went on to Malden Hospital School of Nursing and became a registered nurse. Over the years she worked at the Jimmy Fund, the Red Cross, Boston Children’s hospital and St Joseph’s hospital in NH.

Once she had her first child, she decided to hang up her stethoscope, move to New Hampshire with her new husband and put everything she had into her family. It was a decision that affected her family in the most profoundly positive way. Every win was celebrated, every loss was consoled. There was never a shortage of helpful life advice. She was truly the “momma bear”, being fiercely protective of family and friends alike. Mary Ellen happily hosted many family events, volunteered for many of her kids activities and gave her husband the ability to start and grow a successful business knowing the home front was well taken care of. As her husband grew older and experienced health issues of his own, she once again put her nursing skills to work taking care of him at home until his passing in 2017. It is exhausting just thinking about all the things she happily did for her family over the years.

Later in life, Mary Ellen enjoyed traveling the world with her husband, spending winters in Florida, meeting up with lifelong friends and family, spending time with her grandchildren, reading, exercising, volunteering, crafting and cooking. She was always on the go and up until the very end could be heard saying, “I still have a lot I want to do.”

Mary Ellen is survived by her daughter Karen (Quinn) Pepin, her son Thomas Quinn Jr and his wife Shelley (Bannerot) Quinn, her sisters Susanne Beaton and Geraldine (Beaton) Papa and her husband David, her four wonderful grandchildren Reagan, Riley, Ryan and Ashley as well as numerous, nieces, nephews, cousins and lifelong friends. She will be deeply missed by all she loved and loved her.

The family would like to thank the employees of Visiting Angels and the Merrimack Community Hospice House for the kind and compassionate end of life care given to Mary Ellen. It was greatly appreciated by her and her family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Share Outreach, 1 Columbus Ave in Milford NH 03055.

SERVICES:  A calling hour will be held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH.  Following the visiting hour a mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00 AM in the St. Patrick Church, 34 Amherst Street, Milford, NH 03055.  Burial will conclude in the Meadowview Cemetery, Amherst, NH.  The funeral mass will be livestreamed on the Saint Patrick's Catholic Community Milford NH Facebook page.