Mary C. Quinn

Mary C. Quinn of Weymouth, formerly of Quincy, died peacefully on January 13, 2020 at the age of 95. Mary began her nursing career in 1945 in a maternity unit at Carney Hospital where she was a member of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. Commissioned a First Lieutenant in 1950, she worked in a TB unit in Denver and was later assigned as an acute care/trauma nurse with the 8055th MASH, advancing to the 38th Parallel on the battlefields of South Korea and driven to fame as the singular unit credited with being the inspiration for the hit movie and television series.

Upon returning from Korea in 1952, Mary worked on neonatal intensive care units in CA, VA, and Germany where she developed special skills in pediatric nursing. She also worked at several hospitals on medical surgical units. She even managed to find time to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of San Francisco in 1964 when relatively few nurses had a degree.

In 1968, Mary served as Chief Nurse of the 71st Evacuation Hospital in South Vietnam during the 1968 Tet Offensive when her hospital compound was struck eight times by rocket fire. When she returned home from Vietnam, she continued in nursing administration as Chief Nurse at Fort Devens and later in Germany. After 26 years in the US Army and additional assignments in Japan, TX, NJ, MD and Washington, D.C., she retired with the rank of Colonel, but she kept active in several nurse and veterans organizations. In April of 2003, Mary was honored by the UMASS Boston chapter of Sigma Theta Tau with the Heart of Nursing Award for her “love (caring), courage and honor” as manifested in her service to her country as a US Army nurse, highlighted by her battlefront tours of duty as a trauma nurse specialist in Korea and Vietnam. 

Mary was the daughter of the late Ann (Murphy) and Lucian Quinn. Sister of the late Anna Quinn and Theresa Quinn. She is survived by many friends.

Friends are respectfully invited to attend the visitation on Thursday from 9:30-10:15 AM in St. Jerome Church, 632 Bridge St. in N. Weymouth followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 AM. Burial in MA National Cemetery, Bourne at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mary may be made to Heidrea for Heroes, Inc. 10 Cordage Park Circle, Suite 224, Plymouth, MA 02360.