Ann Mackin Harkins, 84, of Newtonville, MA passed away on June 9, 2020, due to coronavirus complications following a stroke in early December.
Ann was born February 3, 1936 to Dr. John and Elizabeth McGuire Mackin in Jersey City, NJ. Ann was the first grandchild for both the Mackin and McGuire families, bringing great joy to all of them during the Depression. Ann spent many happy summers with her beloved Hoosick Falls relatives. Ann attended St. Aloysius Academy in Jersey City and graduated from the College of Mt. Saint Vincent with her BS in Nursing. Immediately upon graduation and becoming an RN, Ann travelled with her closest nursing friends and worked for St. Francis Hospital in Honolulu visiting all Hawaiian Islands including Father Damien’s leprosy colony in Molokai, Hawaii. Ann returned to marry Robert Wm Harkins in 1959, they moved to St. Louis, MO where Ann studied at Washington University and earned her master’s degree in Psychiatric Nursing. The nuns were astonished that Ann was able to have her first two children (Irish twins) while earning her master’s degree. Ann went on to live and travel around the country and world from Greenwich Village to El Paso Texas to Yokohama, Japan where her youngest was born. She climbed Mt. Fuji and was immersed in the Japanese culture, loving every minute of the adventure.
Ann is survived by her sister Susi and Susi’s husband Jay Donovan, sister- in-law Mary Lou Mackin, brother-in-law Rudolph Hudak and Ann’s five children and their spouses, Mary Rita Sheridan and her three children, Bobby, Evan and Fiona of Bondville, VT, Joe Harkins and his wife, Kym, and their children, Kainoa and Kalani of Bangor, ME, Kevin Harkins and his wife, Eileen, and their two children, Micheal and Maeve, of Mattapoisett MA, Katie Skakel and her husband, David, and their two children, Grace and Delia, of Mosier, OR, and Robert Harkins Jr. and his wife, Amy, and their two children, Lily and Henry, of West Newton in addition to many nieces, nephews, and their spouses. Ann’s children lovingly acknowledge the special relationship that Ann had with her niece Molly Donovan Visnic of Branford, CT. Ann was predeceased by her loving parents, brother John Mackin, sister Mary Beth Hudak, niece Beth Ann Hudak Kenney, nephew Brian Donovan, and grandson Jack Skakel.
Ann raised her five children in Woodbury, Ct. Ann wanted the best for her kids and valued education and experiences. Ann took them skiing every year to Stowe and Jay Peak, regular trips to Broadway, to the beaches of Block Island, Ogunquit, Maine, and to their grandmother’s cottage in Bayview Beach in Milford,CT. Once the kids graduated from high school and were off to college, Ann moved to the Connecticut shore – first to Guilford then to Madison. She moved there to work for The Connecticut Hospice, where her passion for compassionate nursing care was fulfilled. In her final years, Ann moved to Cabot Park Village in Newtonville, MA to be closer to her children.
Ann was an avid skier, tennis player, a voracious reader, loved going to the movies and was the happiest beachcomber ever. Famously, she always reveled in picking the most winners at Molly’s Oscar night galas. Ann was an incredibly generous spirit. She always made people feel good about themselves and was always so interested and involved in her grandchildren’s lives. Ann was a fashionista like no other, always dolled up with her set of long pearls and scarves. Up until her last day Ann was clear, alert, loving and still had her trademark beautiful blond hair and shared her wonderful glowing Irish twinkle.
Ann’s complications were such that she required hospice care at the end. Instead of being bedside due to COVID, we believe she found comfort in family Zooms which allowed her family and closest friends to be with her on her final loving days. Services will be delayed until we can all be together.