Mary Joan Quinn (née Clarity), longtime resident of Ellsworth, WI, peacefully passed away on Friday, January 6th, 2023 in her 89th year. Mary Joan died in her home surrounded by loving children and dear friends.

Mary Joan, beloved mother and friend to all whose lives she graciously touched will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.

She was a trusted confidant, family historian and zealous sports fan. There wasn’t a story she didn’t love to share, a family lineage she didn’t relish researching, a book or periodical she didn’t want to peruse or charity she wouldn’t support. Her passion was learning and she embraced education in a myriad of formats in pursuit of challenge and knowledge.

Mary Joan died as she lived – with dignity, integrity and prayer.

Born on April 15, 1933 to her parents of Irish and Scottish descent, Michael William and Violet Ruth (née Woodington) Clarity.  She was a loving sister to Catherine Clarity, Patricia Cooper, Margaret (Midge) Nolan, Dolores Mohr and Michael Ann Rockenstein. She was the last surviving Clarity daughter of Michael and Violet.

She was preceded in death by daughter Tracy Jean and husband, William.  She is survived by her seven remaining children, fifteen grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

At a young age, she was greatly affected by her father’s untimely death at her age of six leaving her mother, Violet responsible in raising her many daughters as a single parent. These life circumstances helped shape Mary Joan into the confident and committed woman she became.

Mary Joan attended middle school in both Minneapolis and Alexandria, Minnesota and high school at Edgewood School of the Sacred Heart, a private, Catholic, college preparatory school in Madison, WI. After high school, she attended Stephens College in Columbia, MO., the second oldest women’s college in the country.

On April 28, 1956, Mary Joan married William (Bill) Stafford Quinn at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Westwood CA., where her mother and sisters had subsequently relocated.

Mary Joan and Bill met while both pursuing bachelor degrees in St. Paul, MN; Bill at St. Thomas University and Mary Joan at St. Catherine’s University. This lifelong love affair and 55 years of marriage was the result of the two sharing a Russian history Honors class at the James. J. Hill Library. Bill called her ‘Queen Bee’ and she always smiled back in admiration.

From that date onward, they never looked back.  Residing in Los Angeles, they started a family in 1957. After husband, Bill’s Military duty completion in Santa Monica, CA, they moved back to the Upper Midwest to join Bill’s Father, Matt, in the Ellsworth, WI family car business, Larson Quinn Co., a franchised General Motors and Chrysler Corporation dealership.  Bill, as dealer principle, operated the dealership for over 55 years while Mary Joan simultaneously and deftly dedicated herself to motherhood, community advocacy and parish promotion.

Meghan Quinn Kummer, Mary Joan’s daughter currently operates the family GM dealership today, 104 years after its inception.

Mary Joan and Bill raised eight children:  Moira Ann (Michael) Leite of Annandale, VA; Tracy Jean Quinn (deceased); Terence Sean (Lisa) Quinn of Lake Elmo, MN; Kevin Patrick Quinn of Ellsworth, WI; Shannon Marie (Jeff) Horsager of Edina, MN; Meghan Joan (Charles) Kummer of Ellsworth, WI; Erin Margaret Quinn of St. Paul, MN; and Brennan Joseph Quinn of La Crosse, WI.  Mary Joan is survived by 15 grandchildren:  Richard (Sarah), Dana (Dan), Michael (Ali), Sean (Sarah), Bridget (John Paul), Hannah (Ryan), Griffin Douglas, Patrick Thomas, Morgan Quinn, Elizabeth Anne, Mackenzie Joan, Clarity Katherine, Peter Michael, William Stafford and Nolan Charles.

A passionate family historian, Mary Joan embraced genealogy research for its unique investigative properties and storytelling opportunities.  She gleefully took annual pilgrimages with friends to the Family History Library, a genealogical research facility in downtown Salt Lake City, UT.

Sports were a constant in Mary Joan’s life, riding horse and playing golf socially in her younger years. Sports viewership became an almost second calling as her children excelled in many sports, particularly tennis. Her children always knew they were in trouble within their tennis matches when they could see Mom’s ‘knee-a-kickin’ from her legendary lawn chair viewing post. Later in life, softball, volleyball, and football took center stage as her sports of choice to watch as her now grandchildren shined in both high school and collegiate competition — she even occasionally gave a referee or two a gentle piece of her mind, always with a sly smile present ;-).

Mary Joan was a devoted and supportive member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Ellsworth, WI.  The church and her relationship with God were very dear to her.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 14, 2023, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church:. Interment will follow at the parish cemetery.

Family and friends are cordially invited to a visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and to a reception following the Mass, all at church on Saturday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made directly to the St. Francis Catholic School endowment fund c/o of St. Francis Catholic Church, 264 South Grant Street, Ellsworth, Wisconsin, 54011

“May you always walk in sunshine.  May you never want for more.  May Irish angels rest their wings right beside your door”.  

~ Irish Blessing 

Services are entrusted to O’Connell Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ellsworth, www.oconnellfuneralhomes.com, 715-273-4421