Jean Elizabeth (Leamy) Brogan

Jean Elizabeth (Leamy) Brogan, age 86, of 45 Winter St., Franklin, MA, daughter of John H. and Florence C. (Hopkins) Leamy, passed peacefully on April 26, 2017, at UMASS Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, MA, after a brief illness. She was predeceased by her husband of 30 years, Richard D. Brogan, her brother, John H. Leamy, Jr., and her two sisters, Mary A. (Leamy) Bourgeois and Florence (Leamy) Boucher, her great-granddaughter Moira Kathleen Knight, and her step-son Matthew T. Maillet. She is survived by her children, Stephen Quinn, John Quinn, Theresa Quinn, Kirk & Lori (Wirtanen) Quinn, Mike & Christine (Quinn) Landry, and Roger & Katherine (Quinn) Fowkes, 12 grandchildren (Kyle Quinn, Chelsea Quinn, Elizabeth Landry, Michael Landry, Caroline Landry, Jennifer (Fowkes) Knight, Mark Fowkes, Nathaniel Fowkes, Rebekah (Fowkes) Jones, Abigail Fowkes, Rachael Fowkes, and Kellie Fowkes), and 10 great-grandchildren, as well as her former husband, Vincent K. Quinn, the father of her children, and loving nieces and nephews. Jean lived most of her life in Gardner. She was born on March 29, 1931 on High Street in Gardner, and graduated from Gardner High School in 1949. She earned her R.N. at St. Vincent’s Nursing School in Worcester, MA in 1952, graduating first in her class and serving as senior class president. Throughout her life she worked at several area hospitals, and finished her career at Gardner Manor Nursing Home. She and her husband, Dick, shared many hobbies – reading, cooking, traveling and playing rousing games of Pitch or Scrabble. They earned their real estate licenses and found adventure in their later years traveling around New England doing home appraisals and documenting the family genealogy. After years of research, validating her family’s connection to the Mayflower was an achievement that delighted her. Above all, she enjoyed being a mother. She loved life and found beauty and joy in all she saw and met. She had a heart filled with faith, love, hope and gratitude, and had only kind words for everyone. Her children are unanimous in stating that she was the best mother anyone could have asked for. She will be missed. A Funeral Mass will be held on May 13, 2017 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church, Franklin, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to the American Diabetes Association, 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22202.