Maureen

Maureen is a girl’s name of Irish origin. It is an anglicized version of Máirín, a diminutive of Mary, which means “star of the sea.” As Maureen’s mom Gloria and dad Tom brought their shining star home to their ranch on Dearborn’s Edgewood Street, their next-door neighbors, Bill and Kay Tant watched out the window as the bundle of joy arrived. Just a week before, they had welcomed their newborn son Sean home. The two would become good friends.

Sean said there is one word that comes to mind when he thinks of Maureen: compassionate.

“She was beautiful, and was always a sweet, smiling little girl, eager to help and please,” Bill and Kay recalled.

Playing Red Rover and hideseek was a neighborhood favorite. Maureen, Sean, and other friends would play duck, duck, goose, tennis, hopscotch and tetherball. They would ride bikes, go on swings, twirl batons, and dance in hula hoops. They liked Lincoln logs and matchbox cars.

In the Summer they would swim at the Ten Eyck pool just down the street. In the winter, they would ice skate at the Ten Eyck outdoor rink. One time, they took a trip to go visit Bozo the Clown.

Maureen has loved to read books for as long as she could remember. One of young Maureen’s favorite books was The Poky Little Puppy. Her family had a dog, a beagle named Cuddles. And she often cuddled her teddy bear and stuffed Eeyore.