MAUREEN H FREYNE

Maureen was born in New York City on September 5, 1942. Her parents, James and Brigid Freyne, were immigrants from country farming families in Co Kilkenny, Ireland. When she was 6 year old, her family moved to suburban Hartsdale, New York, where she was enrolled in a parochial school in White Plains, New York. She was always a bright and thriving student there under the direction of the Sisters of Charity (St Elizabeth Ann Seton founder). Next step was Marymount Academy in Tarrytown New York, followed by Marymount College there. She graduated with a BA in 1963.
Desiring to put her mathematical skills to work, she took a position with American Airlines in New York City. She was a leading member of the team that that was tasked to put together the much-needed SABRE system. She was well prepared to soon become a team expert by writing software in the COBOL language, which was the required standard for writing complex business programs. SABRE was the first airline fully computerized reservation, passenger ticketing, and baggage tracking and handling system. It was successfully built; it was the workhouse system for many USA airlines for a decade. In the evenings, she studied mathematics at Fordham University School of Arts and Sciences and was awarded an MA degree. In the summers, she joined friends in sail boating on the tranquil summertime waters of Long Island Sound. She also developed an interest in traveling due to the "perks" that airline workers in the New York City travel industry had access to at the time. This might entail a low cost weekend trip to Lisbon, Portugal by that country's national airline. It was a great way to sample the different cultures, meet more travel industry friends, and make a visit to host country's art museums.
A few years later she took a position with XEROX in Rochester NY and moved into a marketing career path. This was the time when every office in the USA has some model of an indispensable XEROX copier. She also spent a positive and productive year in Toronto Canada on a XEROX assignment.
After a serious illness while in Rochester, she realized that she needed to back off from the stressful corporate culture life-style. She moved to Salem, Oregon where she knew some friends from Hartsdale. There she began to explore an interest in art. Since her mother had made a number of religious themed paintings before her own untimely death in 1945, Maureen guessed-correctly-that she had inherited her artistic talent.
After a few years in rainy Oregon, Maureen set sights for Santa Fe, NM. She signed up for painting classes at the local college, and got her sketch pad, easel and watercolors set packed into her car. Soon she realized that she had as especial interest in the mostly abandoned Catholic Churches in the many small settlements in Northern New Mexico. Earlier she had made several trips to Ireland and had seen the remains of Jerpoint Abbey. This is located very near the home farms, a short bicycle ride, from where her parents had emigrated. Jerpoint Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, built in 1180 A.D. that was shut down by the law "Dissolution of the Monasteries", ordered by English King Henry VIII in 1532-1541. It was well built, has weathered the revenges of time, and was fortunate to have been initially taken over by the Earl of Ormand. It is now maintained as a heritage site by the Republic of Ireland government. It is a popular spot for tourists and artists alike to visit, to view the architecture and planning of an excellent 12th century monastery, and to photograph, sketch and paint.
Likewise, Maureen expressed continual interest in having the Northern New Mexico churches that she painted to be safeguarded and preserved. She painted many of these using her unique holistic interpretive style that showed how she viewed the church scene. Always there appeared to be a glow emanating from the church. It was as if the townspeople had went to the church for religious and spiritual nourishment, a break from the daily routine, and were now leaving with the joy of friendship and prayers answered. This may be noted in the illustration of one of Maureen's painting posted above.
Her church scenes were her favorite paintings; her co-favorite would be her still-life mode paintings of flowers. Here she was partial to multi-flowering roses and irises. Watercolors were her favorite medium, although she made many enchanting paintings with traditional oils. She won an award for her large poster sized painting entitled "Santa Fe Sunrise" from the Santa Fe Visitors Board. In addition, she held several one-artist shows at local Santa Fe galleries, and displayed her paintings at the State Capitol.
In addition to the members of the Santa Fe art community, she always was in contact with the members of her class at Marymount College (now Marymount-Fordham University, Tarrytown NY campus).
Maureen passed away from heart failure on February 21, 2022 in Santa Fe Presbyterian Hospital. She is survived by her older brother Frank in California; nephews Seamus, Sean and Patrick; nieces Brigid and Cathleen; and a grandnephew and grandniece. Her younger brother Peter predeceased her.
Arrangements are being made by Berardinelli Funeral Home; burial will be private.