In March 1931, a girl was born to the Mawby family of the fertile farming fenlands of Lincolnshire, England. The Mawbys were (and are) a farming family, very active in the community and the entire region of the vast flat diked lands. When she wasn’t away at boarding school in Southern England, Jayne Mawby grew up in a charming brick house surrounded by her family’s fields of potatoes, bulbs, sugar beet, grains, and mustard.
In 1958, Jayne boldly moved to Canada. After living and working in Montreal for several years, she met a bachelor farmer from Penobsquis, New Brunswick. An exchange of letters took place for some time until Burton McQuinn used his Co-op Dividends for a life changing purchase, an engagement ring.
Married in 1969, Jayne McQuinn was quickly immersed in the very active life on the dairy farm. She weeded large vegetable gardens, harvested berries, and her catering training from the Institutional Management Course at the University of London was put to the test cooking for extended family and a large crew of farmhands, and soon she was rearing two children. She baked bread several times a week and made pickles and jellies. She sewed many clothes and figure skating costumes for her daughters. She was an important part of farm operations by meticulously keeping the books, and by always being ready to jump up and hurry to town for a part for farm machinery or medicine for a sick cow. Her organization skills enabled her to accomplish the jobs of the farm and household, parenting, and more.
Jayne dedicated time and many efforts to others. She made a point to visit community elders as often as possible and she hosted baby showers in her home. Busy as she was, she always made time for various volunteer activities. She tackled the thankless tasks that needed to be done for the operation and benefit of many community groups and was very involved dedicating much time, a lot of thought, and energy toward causes and concerns that arose. Jayne McQuinn believed the community and the people in it are a priority and acted on it.
Jayne never sat idly. When her daughters were young she would occupy herself with knitting while watching them at figure skating practice.
Later, she knit for her six grandchildren whenever she rested her feet. She sewed many clothes for these little folk in her life, and diligently cared for her husband Burton.
Jayne’s faith in God, and her church family were of utmost importance to her. She wanted all to know it was God and the power of prayers that relieved many of her symptoms, and brought her much comfort over the past several weeks.
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Mrs. Jayne E. McQuinn of Penobsquis passed away at the Sussex Health Centre on April 20, 2011 at the age of 80. Born in Holbeach St. John’s, Lincolnshire on March 5, 1931, she was the daughter of the late J. Donald and G. Mary (West) Mawby and was the wife of the late Burton R. McQuinn who passed away in 2009. Jayne is survived by two daughters, Beth Nixon and her husband Kevin of Penobsquis and Sara Powning and her husband Jake of Markhamville; her brothers, John Mawby and his wife Margaret and David Mawby of Lincolnshire, UK and her sister-in-law Pearl DeLong of Sussex. She will be forever remembered by her beloved grandchildren, Allan, Emily, Margaret and Julia Nixon and Maeve and Bridget Powning.
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