Nora Jean Quinn

HALLOWELL – Nora Jean Quinn, 89, passed away at Granite Hill Estates on March 18, 2025, with her family at her side. On Oct. 31, 1935 (Halloween), a baby girl was born to Cynthia Quinn and Edwin Whitten in Bath, Maine. This child was the great-granddaughter of Lorenzo Whitten…for whom the Whitten Road is named.

She was raised in several places, finally graduating from West Haven High School in Connecticut in 1953. Her first job was in the secretarial pool at Southern New England Telephone Company. Subsequently she became the secretary to the Vice President of Engineering.

Nora is survived by her three children, Ron Enquist of Lamphun, Thailand, Boni Enquist of Marlborough, Mass., and Cindy Enquist Cushing of Wayne; her sister Wendy Johanson of Westbrook, brother Tom Whitten of Ormond Beach, Fla.; and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The children were all born in Branford, Conn., where the family lived for many years. For part of the time, Nora was a professional dressmaker and served as volunteer costume designer for “Once Upon a Mattress” at Yale Drama School and the President of the Branford Community Theater.

After a divorce, Nora and the children relocated to the Amherst, Mass. area where she worked at Smith College, the University of Massachusetts, and eventually as the Administrative Assistant to the Five-College Coordinator, Housed at Hampshire College. As the children grew older, they all moved to Maine where Nora obtained a position at Bowdoin College. Her daughters graduated from Kents Hill High School. She was the costumer for the Maine State Musical Theater’s production of “Anastasia” and volunteer costumer for Univ. of So. Maine Theater Department.

Attending the University of Southern Maine, Nora received her bachelor’s degree in social work and began a career as the geriatric social worker for Tri-County Mental Health. After being downsized as a Home Health Supervisor for Holy Innocents in Portland, she relocated to San Francisco where her son was living. She worked as a Medical Staff Coordinator at French Hospital and later as the Executive Director of The Adult Day Health Care Center in Half Moon Bay, Calif.

Nora remarried Eddie Liggins, the attorney for San Francisco Police Department. He retired from that position and went into private practice, where Nora joined him. Later they moved to Portland, Maine. Eddie worked for the Portland Police Department as their attorney and subsequently for Legal Service for the Elderly. Nora obtained the position of Executive Director for Growing Thru Adoption in Lewiston and retired from there after Eddie’s death.

Nora lived the rest of her life at Granite Hill Estates with her cat, Penney. She enjoyed playing bridge, quilting, reading, theater, music, and visiting with her children. She has traveled extensively and was on a task force for the United Methodist Church visiting Nicaragua four different times all while attending Andover-Newton Theological Seminary. Nora completed a master’s degree in Missiology in 1999 at the age of 60. She was an active member of the Manchester Community Church.

Nora’s celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 3, at 11 a.m. at 21 Readfield Road in Manchester. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited.

Arrangements and guidance are in the care of Roberts Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 62 Bowdoin Street, Winthrop, Maine.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Roberts Funeral Home website, http://www.khrfuneralhomes.com.