Clara Fisher Quinn Obituary (1918 - 2015)

Clara Fisher Quinn, a resident of Ocean View at Falmouth, ME, passed away peacefully at the age of 96 on February 18, 2015. Clara was born in Wakefield, MA on July 31, 1918 in the home of her parents, Ray Elmer and Adelaide (Anderson) Shedd. She graduated from Wakefield High School and was a proud alumna of The New England Conservatory of Music, with a major in voice and minor in piano. Clara married George Norton Fisher on September 19, 1942 in the garden of her parents home. They moved to Hartford, CT where George was employed at Pratt Whitney aircraft during WWII. After the war, they returned to Massachusetts where they resided in Wakefield, Stoneham and Reading. Their three children, Peter Brooks, Martha Gail and Meredith Ann, were born during their years there. While George was the Plant Manager for Monsanto Chemical Company in Everett, Clara enjoyed many years entertaining and socializing with business associates, friends, and neighbors. She was a troop leader in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, as well as an active member of both Wakefield and Reading Garden Clubs. In 1971, Clara and George moved to Amherst, NH before deciding to retire to Orrs Island, ME in 1974. While living on Orrs Island, Clara held her first paying job at a local womens clothing store, the Canterbury Shop. Given her friendly nature and love of people, she was a natural sales clerk. In 1985, Clara and George decided to relocate to York Harbor, ME. Claras love of people continued to be engaged through her work at the Lenox Factory Outlet in Kittery, as a volunteer at York Hospital, and as a communicant of the First Congregational Church at Kittery Point. Within a month of having celebrated their 49th anniversary, George passed away on October 5, 1991. After Georges death, and until she was almost 85, Clara continued to work at Lenox approximately 30 hours per week to keep herself vital and engaged. In 2002, she was introduced by her dentist to John K. Quinn, also of York Harbor, ME. After a whirlwind courtship, she and Jack were married on February 15, 2003. Clara and Jack enjoyed the twilight of their lives together, spending time with family, many friends, and traveling. In 2006, they left York Harbor and moved to Ocean View in Falmouth, ME. Clara had a lifelong passion for music and participated throughout her life in various church choirs and ensembles, often as a soloist. She also was a featured performer with local musical theater groups in her younger years. She enjoyed participating in musical gatherings at Ocean View and attending various musical performances such as the symphony, the MET Opera, and Portland Ovations. She took her first international trip to England at age 78, which sparked an interest in international travel. At age 80, on a Caribbean cruise, she parasailed. She enjoyed a number of trips to Europe with her daughters, as well as a variety of European river cruises and Caribbean adventures with Jack. Clara was remarkable and displayed incredible resilience for her age. After Jack moved to Falmouth House due to health problems in 2008, Clara continued to live in her apartment at OceanView, where she enjoyed playing bridge with friends, tending her beloved garden, and visiting Jack daily until his death in March of 2014. When she broke her hip in 2010, she treated it as a minor inconvenience before resuming her normal life activities in short order. She continued to drive until age 95, and proudly continued to live independently until shortly before her death. Clara will long be remembered for her independent spirit and lifestyle, outgoing nature and engaging personality. Most of all, Clara loved family, people, making new friends and sharing stories about life. Clara was predeceased by her husband George, her son Peter, her second husband Jack, and her brother Martin Brooks Shedd, of Warren, RI. She is survived by daughters, Martha Granese and husband Nicholas of Lynn, MA and Meredith Fisher McArdle and husband John of Freeport, ME, granddaughter, Nicole Granese of Mesa, AZ, grandson, Christopher Granese and wife Michelle of Wenham, MA, the family of her late brother and also stepchildren, Carol Kallenbach, Peter Quinn, David Quinn, Florence Quinn, Edward Quinn and Patricia Ludwig, their spouses, children and grandchildren. Visiting hours will be held at Hilltop Community Room at Ocean View, 18 Blueberry Lane, Falmouth, ME on Wednesday, March 11 from 2-3 pm and at Conroy-Tully Crawford Funeral Home, 172 State Street, Portland, ME on Wednesday, March 11 from 4:30-6:00 pm. Funeral services will be held at the First Congregational Church of Kittery Point, 23 Pepperrell Road, Kittery Point, Maine on Thursday, March 12 at 11:00 am, followed by a reception. Online condolences may be expressed at www.ctcrawford.com Those who wish may make memorial donations in Claras memory to: First Congregational Church of Kittery Point 23 Pepperrell Road Kittery Point, ME 03905 Beacon Hospice 54 Atlantic Place South Portland, ME 04106