Tara Marie O'BrienQuinn '76 Tara Marie O'Brien-Quinn, age 58, formerly of Rockland and Scituate, died peacefully, Saturday, June 4, 2016, at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital- Plymouth, surrounded by her loving family. Tara was born in Quincy, May 31, 1958, to the late Richard E. and Barbara A. (Spadorcia) O'Brien. She was a cum laude graduate of Thayer Academy. The quote she selected for her senior yearbook was, "May you live as long as you like and have all that you like for as long as you live." She followed her time at Thayer as a member of the Bentley College, Class of 1980. She had lived in Bonita Springs, FL, Rockland, and Scituate. Tara was a wellknown real estate agent and consultant on the South Shore for many years. She enjoyed photography and was an avid Boston sports fan. Tara was devoted to her family and especially to her cherished nieces and nephews. Beloved wife of the late Peter J. Quinn, Sr., Quincy Fire Department, she was the devoted sister of Kathleen A. Wirtz '73 of Weymouth, her twin sister Laura J. O'Brien '76 of Bonita Springs, FL, Lisa A. Pickering '83 of Hull, Richard E. O'Brien, Jr. of Acton and Kirsten O'Brien of New York City. Tara is also survived by many nieces, including Giovanna Pickering '12, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
1983 Cynthia Basler Mertens '83 Dr. Cynthia D. Basler, 51 years old, of Alexandria, VA and Hingham, passed away peacefully on October 16, 2016, surrounded by her loved ones, in Plymouth after a long battle with cancer. Cindy was raised in Hingham. Known for her quiet elegance, determination, grace and beauty, her smile lit up a variety of the many places she touched during her lifetime; mascot for the Hingham High Cheerleading Squad at 8 years old, runway model at 18 and Thayer Academy graduate in 1983. She was also known as an accomplished lifelong athlete. Cindy was inducted into Thayer Academy's Sports Hall of Fame in 2008 for her record-breaking tennis accomplishments; playing undefeated number one in singles and doubles for 3 years, and considered one of the best female tennis players in Thayer's history. Cindy went on to play on full scholarship for Jacksonville University and the University of North Florida. She was the number one singles and doubles player and earned multiple NAIA Division I All American Honors along with Sportswoman of the Year at UNF in 1987 and was inducted into the University of North Florida's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016. Cindy went on to earn her Master's degree from the University of South Florida in 1998 and her PhD in Psychology from the Eisner Institute in 2013 to pursue her lifelong calling and passion for helping others. She was a therapist for Coastal Behavioral Healthcare in Sarasota, FL, earning their Leadership Award for Outstanding Service to her clients. Cindy continued her career into private practice and was a well-respected and much loved psychologist in Sarasota, FL and Alexandria, VA.
She will be deeply missed by her parents James and Carol Basler '47 of Venice, FL and Hingham; her sister Valerie Basler, brothers; James Basler and Robert Basler, sister-in-law Beth Basler, niece Liza Basler, nephews; John Basler, and Nate Basler, grandnephew Devon Basler, stepdaughter Kirsten Mertens, and her very special friend Pamela Boucher.
IN MEMORIAM: 1970s - 1980s
1976
1987 David P. Tierney '87 David P. Tierney, of Weymouth, age 47, passed away on October 12, 2016 David was a lifelong Weymouth resident. Mr. Tierney was a supervisor at Guard Force Management Company in Quincy. He graduated cum lade from Thayer Academy. His quote in the yearbook was, "Finis coronat opus. Finis instrumenta fas facit. Ad terminum perveniebam" - which translates to: "The end crowns the work. Divine will fashions the means of the end. I arrived at the end." David studied at Colgate University where he also taught CCD. He was an avid sports fan of the Boston professional teams, especially the Bruins. He was the beloved son of Arthur E. Tierney Jr. of Weymouth and the late Geraldine V. (Murray) Tierney. Brother of Mark M. '88 of Canton, and loving uncle of Allyson and Ryan Tierney.
Thayer Magazine Winter / Spring 2017
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