Marianne P. (Mlynarski) Quinn

Marianne Quinn passed away on Tuesday, October 1st surrounded by her family. She was born on February 21, 1949 in Bristol, Connecticut, the daughter of the late Stanley and Mary (Ryznar) Mlynarski. Marianne graduated from Bristol Eastern High School in 1967 and later from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in Fine Arts.

Marianne caught the eye of Peter Quinn in high school and they married in 1970. They moved to Newington, New Hampshire where they loved to drive the backroads antiquing. They boarded Morgan horses and grew enough vegetables to keep their garden stand well stocked. In 1977, they welcomed their first child, Erin before moving to York in 1982 just in time to welcome their son, John. 

Marianne and Peter embraced all Maine had to offer. They spent much time on the ocean exploring the islands up and down the coast with the occasional whale sighting. Winter was spent skiing at Sugarloaf and, while Marianne didn’t love the cold, she was always ready to warm hands and fill cold bellies when the family returned from the slopes.  When they weren’t adventuring, Marianne loved to be in her gardens or cooking in the kitchen. She started every day doing her New York Times puzzles and always had a jigsaw puzzle going on the dining room table.

Marianne savored life. She appreciated all the beauty the world had to offer. She saw the light in dark situations. She taught those around her so much about slowing down and noticing, about taking time and not rushing. It’s what made her good at everything she did. 

Family was at the forefront of Marianne’s life. She loved being a wife, mother and grandmother to Caitlin, Jack, Molly, Maya and Margot. Marianne found great joy in the quality time spent with her grandchildren. She happily entered their imaginative worlds to play, created art, baked, planned special outings and shared an appreciation for the natural world with them just as she had with her own children.

Marianne loved creating art. She and Peter ran an advertising firm for many years after they were married. Marianne designed logos, menus and ads for many businesses in Portsmouth. She had a particular passion for graphic design and her work is still represented in many businesses in the area.   Her biggest client was Acorn, a family owned slipper company based in Maine. She designed the logos, fabrics, display cases, packaging and set up the photoshoots, wrote copy and laid out the catalog. Design was never a job for Marianne. It was always a labor of love.

Marianne found great joy in giving to others. One of her love languages was nourishing people with exceptional food. She loved to gather friends and family around the warm candlelight of her table for a meal. She was always the host for family get-togethers, holidays, showers and more. She cooked often for friends, family and strangers to support them in a difficult time or to celebrate a special moment.  So much comfort could be found in the meals she cooked. 

Another way Marianne showed her love was through her art. In the days since her passing, friends and family have mourned the loss of her warm smile and generous spirit along with the loss of her beautiful work. Each year as Christmas approached, Marianne would seek inspiration in the beauty of York, the critters that visited her property, the activities they enjoyed or the sunlight as it hit the trees. Each year she created a beautiful piece of silk screened art which she would gift as her Christmas card. Her cards are proudly framed and displayed in many homes.  She also created custom cards for every occasion and, , if the art wasn’t enough, there was always a beautiful note inside to remind you how loved you were by Marianne. Many friends and family members have shared how they have pulled out their collection of notes and cards sent by Marianne in remembrance of her love.

Friends and family were not the only benefactors of Marianne’s love. She had a soft spot for those whose struggles were great. She was co-director of the York Community Food Pantry in its infancy. She quickly got to work organizing the program to make it more efficient. In true Marianne style, she designed a logo and created note cards to thank all the donors. For her efforts at the Pantry, she was awarded Citizen of the Year in 2007 and 2008. After 8 years as co-director, Marianne stepped down but continued to volunteer. She spoke lovingly of all the beautiful people she encountered there.

Marianne leaves behind her husband of 54 years, Peter Quinn; daughter Erin Graziano and her husband Jon Graziano of Hopkinton, Massachusetts; son John Quinn and his wife Edie Davis of Kittery; her beloved grandchildren, Caitlin Graziano, Jack Graziano, Molly Graziano, Maya Davis-Quinn and Margot Davis-Quinn; and sister Eleanor Payton and husband Michael Payton of Southington, Connecticut. She also leaves behind her Quinn siblings, Carol Kallenbach of Burlington, Connecticut; David Quinn and wife Margaret Quinn of Falmouth, Maine; Eddie Quinn and wife Ginny Quinn of Littleton, Colorado; Florence Quinn of Westport, Connecticut; Patty Ludwig and husband Scott Ludwig of Highland Ranch, Colorado; and all her nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. 

Marianne’s beautiful soul and generous spirit will be greatly missed by all. She was the source of great comfort and a deep love for all who knew her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the York Community Service Association in honor of Marianne’s generosity and kind heart.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marianne P. (Mlynarski) Quinn, please visit our floral store.