Obituary of Elizabeth McQuilkin

Elizabeth P (Greenwood) McQuilkin, a nurse who worked until her death at the age of 83, passed away at her son’s home in Burlington after a brief illness on Thursday afternoon, January 17, 2008. Elizabeth was born in Somerville, the daughter of the late Patrick and Edna Greenwood. She lived her life in Woburn and Somerville. She spent her life taking care of her family and the ill. Over the years, she had worked at the Choate Hospital, Glendale Nursing Home, MacDonald Nursing Home, and for the last 35 years at the Somerville Home for the Aging. She worked her last shift on December 16, 2007. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who loved the time spent with her family. Elizabeth was a fiercely independent woman and who enjoyed life. She enjoyed to travel and visited destinations including Florida, Las Vegas, Ireland, Italy, France, and Yugoslavia. She loved Hampton Beach. She liked going to Bingo and Foxwoods with her friends and family. She was a big sports fan, especially of the Boston Red Sox and Patriots. Her favorite athlete was Tiger Woods. She was an avid reader and would read countless books. She read the newspaper cover to cover and was always up to date on politics and current events. She had strong opinions and enjoyed a healthy discussion. She loved animals. And most importantly, she lived her life to the fullest, enjoying her blessings and giving of herself unselfishly. Elizabeth was the loving mother of Laurence & his wife Kathleen of Burlington, Ronald & his wife Lois of Westborough, Michael & his wife Jo Anne of Tewksbury, Marilyn of Somerville, David & his wife Sharon of Upton. Sister of Robert Greenwood of Derry,NH Roberta Greenwood of Woburn, and the late Shirley, William, Jack and Thomas Greenwood. Also survived by 10 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington on Monday, January 21 at 12 Noon. Visiting hours will be held at the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Monday from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Interment will be private. Memorials in Elizabeth’s name may be made to VNA Hospice Care, 100 Sylvan Road, G-500, Woburn, MA 01801. Elizabeth McQuilkin. Also known to many as “Betty.” She was a loyal, loving daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, a friend. Born in the year 1924, she was the daughter of the late Patrick and Edna Greenwood. She had somewhat of a tough upbringing. When Betty was only 11 years old, she lost her mother to Tuberculosis, and also suffered the loss of a brother and a sister. However, she later gained a brother and a sister, Bobby and Roberta, when her father remarried. She went on to meet my grandfather, also referred to as “Babe” or “Grandpa Donuts”—and for quite some time I must admit I definitely thought his last name was donuts. They married when Betty was at the young age of 19, my grandfather just a few years older. They went on to raise a family. They had 5 children, four boys and a girl. Sadly, they eventually separated but my grandfather was never far from my grandmother’s heart. She loved him dearly. My grandmother raised her family, moving them from apartment to apartment providing for them and doing her best to give them the best life she possibly could because that’s just what she did. This was truly the essence of my grandmother, taking care of other people. In fact, she was so good at caring for others that she went on to nursing school and became a nurse for a living. But it wasn’t just a career. She made it her life. For most of you, I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. I can look out into the pews of this church and guarantee that at one point or another she has cared for and taken care of several of you. She’s made a very strong impact on many people’s lives. I’m going to miss the warmth of my grandmother that came with her care and the love that I could genuinely feel each time I hugged her. I have so many wonderful memories of my grandmother and I feel so fortunate to have had her in my life for as long as I did. My grandmother loved many things in addition to her family and friends…Foxwoods, Bingo and Hampton Beach, and Tyra Banks and America’s Next Top Model just to name a few. I have several grandma stories I could tell, however some are a little inappropriate to be told in church. But those are the stories that made her so great. One, however, that sticks out in my mind is the first time she took me with her to bingo. I had just turned 18 and was so excited to have my first official bingo experience. When I returned home, my brother greeted me with excitement, “How was bingo? Everyone there must love Grandma.” I hesitated in my reply… “Well, not everyone …” Turns out, the detail cop on duty in the bingo hall had to break up a “disagreement” my grandmother and another woman were having over a seat. I’m sure most of you already know how the story ended. Grandma got her seat back and we played bingo. In addition to the many funny stories and memories, my grandmother leaves quite a legacy to follow. She was a fighter. She worked her last shift at The Somerville Nursing Home on December 16th when she just couldn’t work anymore. She fought up until the very end, the day she passed on so peacefully in my parents home right here in Burlington. And she passed on not just because it was her time but because God must’ve needed another angel in his home. Betty McQuilkin. A loyal, loving daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, a friend. She was all of those things. But any one can be all of those things. The difference is in living it. My grandmother lived all of those things and if she could give one last piece of advice to all of us, I think she would tell us all to embrace life, embrace all that surrounds you, family and friends. Live it.