Arlene Lavin Morrissey

Arlene Lavin Morrissey of Quincy, died on November 22, 2023, at the Pat Roche Hospice Home in Hingham at age 79 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. 

Arlene worked at Milton High School as a Spanish teacher and Counselor for over 35 years before continuing her career at St. Ann School and then Quincy Catholic Academy. She retired to care for her husband Jim as he battled Alzheimer’s disease.  She loved being a grandmother and Tia, attending the kids many events and cherished the time she spent with her family.  She had many travel adventures with friends and family over the years and loved being able to speak Spanish to anyone along the way.  She stressed the importance of education and was so proud of receiving two Masters degrees from Boston State College and the University of Madrid as well as her Doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Boston.  She enjoyed volunteering to teach adults to read at the Thomas Crane Library for 10 years. Her faith meant the world to her and she found joy at St. Ann’s church as a lector, a member of the choir and in the bible group. She had a wide network of friends from Mission Hill, many Milton teachers, her St. Ann’s Bible ladies, and beyond and enjoyed a very busy social calendar over the years. She touched the lives of many and will be missed by all.

She was married to the love of her life, the late James W. Morrissey Jr. for 35 years and was the devoted mother to Jacob Lavin and his wife Jennifer of Weymouth, Andrew Lavin and David Lavin of Chicago, and Joseph Lavin and his wife Matty of Natick. Devoted sister of James Lavin and his wife Rachel of Franklin, the late Reverend John Lavin, C. Ss. R, and the late Anne Lavin Smith of Cotuit.  Beloved grandmother to Katherine, Regan and Luke Lavin and Tia to Madeline Smith. Loving aunt to Eric Smith, Erica Lavin, Lee, Dan and Michelle Morrissey and the great aunt to several nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the Keohane Funeral Home, 785 Hancock Street, Quincy, on Friday, December 1, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10:30 AM in St. Ann’s Church, 757 Hancock Street, Quincy.

Burial at Cedar Grove Cemetery, 920 Adams Street, Dorchester, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pat Roche Hospice Home c/o NVNA & Hospice, 120 Longwater Drive, Norwell, MA 02061 or at https://bit.ly/46sNqyp.