Mary Mudd Quinn
1965
Reading the other bios has inspired me to write my own – such fun “catching up” on everyone’s paths all these years!
After graduating from UCLA with an English and Math degree in December 1968, I moved to San Diego to get a secondary credential and teach high school. I was 21 and many of my students were 18 – that was definitely a hoot as well as highly satisfying. After ten years of teaching, department chair, cheer sponsor, senior advisor, adventure traveling every summer (camping all over Europe, Alaska, and many western U.S. states), lots of backpacking, skiing, and a short marriage that began and ended in there somewhere, I went back to school to get a Masters and Ph.D. in Psychology as well as a license to practice psychotherapy. In 1978 I married Jeff, who came to the union with full custody of two young sons, aged four and six. Fifteen months later, in 1980, we had our first daughter and became a busy and energetic family of five. Whew.
Then a serendipitous and rather ironic event happened: I was invited by Bill Ballance to be a guest “sage” on his KFMB radio talk show in San Diego, taking calls from people with psychological issues and questions. Remember Bill Ballance? He was the KFWB (rather outrageous) disc jockey we all listened to when we were at GCHS!! That evening on his talk show was the beginning of a ten-year radio talk show stint that he and I pulled off together. That, and other resulting television talk show appearances, propelled my budding psychotherapy practice into full-blown maturity in a matter of months. Whew.
Another bit of luck – backtrack to 1971 and, honest, this story fits in later: on a return trek back to San Diego from a summer of camping in Alaska, my then-partner and I visited some friends on Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington. Two days into the visit we bought five beautiful acres overlooking the Salish Sea. Wow. Two years later in 1973 I learned of a teaching position open in the little island high school, so I pursued that job, moved to Orcas Island, and taught seven different subjects to a student body of 132 kids. The island’s year-round population was then 800 residents – making it too small to hold me longer than a year, but a fabulous adventure while it lasted. That connection to Orcas Island became an important part of my life from then on, as you will see below.
Fast forward again to 1980 with life in the fast lane of private practice therapy career, radio talk show, entrepreneur husband, three young children of our own, a few others we took in at times for various reasons, pets, gardens, and house plants – and numerous trips every year to Orcas Island, which became our family’s escape place. Twelve years ago we sold the original five acres to buy a lovely waterfront home on its own acreage with stunning marine views -- and have since put up a (purple!) yurt, built a cabin, constructed a warm weather bath house, and just this last year made a portable brick oven. The entire family of five (see next paragraph) kids, seven (so far) grandchildren, and lots of good friends spend vacations on Orcas every summer where we kayak, fish, go crabbing and shrimping, island hop in our boat, hike, pick berries for pies and jam, make pizza in the brick oven, and savor the wildlife, water views, fresh air, and quiet. This summer we had 22 visitors in 21 days. We are thrilled that our favorite place draws friends and family to share it with us.
Just to round out the story of these last thirty six years, in 1991 Jeff and I adopted a fourth child and birthed a fifth (I know! I was 44! How nuts was that?!). Just last year, in June 2014, we FINALLY became true empty nesters when our youngest graduated from the Air Force Academy to serve at his first duty station in St. Louis. No kids coming home for college breaks. No need for a full frig. No pets left at home. Thirty six years of raising kids together. Whew.
After many years of interesting and successful career moves, Jeff is now semi-retired. He continues to manage his business in Madrid as well as a few other partnerships, but his main job (as he says) is to take good enough care of me so he “doesn’t have to get a real job.” Works for me – I always wanted a “wife,” and he is a very good one. I still see patients in my busy private practice – but take all the time off I want. So far that is working well – I love the structure of it when I am in town and my patients are just grateful that I am not fully retiring. Jeff and I spend at least twelve weeks a year on Orcas Island, we travel to other locations for pleasure and to visit various children, we tend a large vegetable and ornamental garden, we host sleepovers with San Diego grandchildren, and we forever make plans for our next project or adventure (the Woofer program in Alaska this June?). In addition to special travel trips (three weeks in a little campervan through New Zealand this last year), we bop around between our Orcas Island getaway, our family home base in San Diego, an apartment in the middle of Madrid, and a little Beach Bach studio on the sand in Mission Beach. Life is definitely full.
Looking forward to seeing old friends at the 50th!
After graduating from UCLA with an English and Math degree in December 1968, I moved to San Diego to get a secondary credential and teach high school. I was 21 and many of my students were 18 – that was definitely a hoot as well as highly satisfying. After ten years of teaching, department chair, cheer sponsor, senior advisor, adventure traveling every summer (camping all over Europe, Alaska, and many western U.S. states), lots of backpacking, skiing, and a short marriage that began and ended in there somewhere, I went back to school to get a Masters and Ph.D. in Psychology as well as a license to practice psychotherapy. In 1978 I married Jeff, who came to the union with full custody of two young sons, aged four and six. Fifteen months later, in 1980, we had our first daughter and became a busy and energetic family of five. Whew.
Then a serendipitous and rather ironic event happened: I was invited by Bill Ballance to be a guest “sage” on his KFMB radio talk show in San Diego, taking calls from people with psychological issues and questions. Remember Bill Ballance? He was the KFWB (rather outrageous) disc jockey we all listened to when we were at GCHS!! That evening on his talk show was the beginning of a ten-year radio talk show stint that he and I pulled off together. That, and other resulting television talk show appearances, propelled my budding psychotherapy practice into full-blown maturity in a matter of months. Whew.
Another bit of luck – backtrack to 1971 and, honest, this story fits in later: on a return trek back to San Diego from a summer of camping in Alaska, my then-partner and I visited some friends on Orcas Island, one of the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington. Two days into the visit we bought five beautiful acres overlooking the Salish Sea. Wow. Two years later in 1973 I learned of a teaching position open in the little island high school, so I pursued that job, moved to Orcas Island, and taught seven different subjects to a student body of 132 kids. The island’s year-round population was then 800 residents – making it too small to hold me longer than a year, but a fabulous adventure while it lasted. That connection to Orcas Island became an important part of my life from then on, as you will see below.
Fast forward again to 1980 with life in the fast lane of private practice therapy career, radio talk show, entrepreneur husband, three young children of our own, a few others we took in at times for various reasons, pets, gardens, and house plants – and numerous trips every year to Orcas Island, which became our family’s escape place. Twelve years ago we sold the original five acres to buy a lovely waterfront home on its own acreage with stunning marine views -- and have since put up a (purple!) yurt, built a cabin, constructed a warm weather bath house, and just this last year made a portable brick oven. The entire family of five (see next paragraph) kids, seven (so far) grandchildren, and lots of good friends spend vacations on Orcas every summer where we kayak, fish, go crabbing and shrimping, island hop in our boat, hike, pick berries for pies and jam, make pizza in the brick oven, and savor the wildlife, water views, fresh air, and quiet. This summer we had 22 visitors in 21 days. We are thrilled that our favorite place draws friends and family to share it with us.
Just to round out the story of these last thirty six years, in 1991 Jeff and I adopted a fourth child and birthed a fifth (I know! I was 44! How nuts was that?!). Just last year, in June 2014, we FINALLY became true empty nesters when our youngest graduated from the Air Force Academy to serve at his first duty station in St. Louis. No kids coming home for college breaks. No need for a full frig. No pets left at home. Thirty six years of raising kids together. Whew.
After many years of interesting and successful career moves, Jeff is now semi-retired. He continues to manage his business in Madrid as well as a few other partnerships, but his main job (as he says) is to take good enough care of me so he “doesn’t have to get a real job.” Works for me – I always wanted a “wife,” and he is a very good one. I still see patients in my busy private practice – but take all the time off I want. So far that is working well – I love the structure of it when I am in town and my patients are just grateful that I am not fully retiring. Jeff and I spend at least twelve weeks a year on Orcas Island, we travel to other locations for pleasure and to visit various children, we tend a large vegetable and ornamental garden, we host sleepovers with San Diego grandchildren, and we forever make plans for our next project or adventure (the Woofer program in Alaska this June?). In addition to special travel trips (three weeks in a little campervan through New Zealand this last year), we bop around between our Orcas Island getaway, our family home base in San Diego, an apartment in the middle of Madrid, and a little Beach Bach studio on the sand in Mission Beach. Life is definitely full.
Looking forward to seeing old friends at the 50th!
Mary (recent photo)
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Jeff and I on the lower deck of our Orcas Island home
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San Diego daughter Morgan and her family
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Mary and Jeff on vacation in Hanfluer, France
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Mary with Air Force Academy graduate Parker
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On our Orcas Island beach with granddaughter Emma
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Kayaking in New Zealand
Lady in Red (on Orcas Island)
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Comments
Dear Dr. Quinn, I just read your story & wondered why you have not won any cooking competitions? I am so impressed with all that you have done & love that you have such a large family & long lasting marriage!
Mary, Thank you for sharing & I look forward to seeing you again in Oct. Love.
Gloria
Mary, Thank you for sharing & I look forward to seeing you again in Oct. Love.
Gloria
"Mary!!! You look like you did in High school -- still so beautiful! We're excited about talking to you and Jeff about the PNW -- Orcas Island/San Juans! We are still waiting for delivery of our Zodiac! Always ready for an adventure -- we'll figure it out.
What a life you are leading -- much adventure, a long term love, children in abundance, travel and three home bases! Very interesting occupations you've had as well -- from knowing you in high school of course you have succeeded and so beautifully. This will be fun -- to reconnect!
I am looking forward to seeing so many friends from school and catching up with so many fascinating friends.
Chris Van Laar Burgoyne
What a life you are leading -- much adventure, a long term love, children in abundance, travel and three home bases! Very interesting occupations you've had as well -- from knowing you in high school of course you have succeeded and so beautifully. This will be fun -- to reconnect!
I am looking forward to seeing so many friends from school and catching up with so many fascinating friends.
Chris Van Laar Burgoyne