Marlene McMahon
Marlene McMahon, 86, of Southold, died Nov. 27, 2017. The daughter of A. Alfred Steinruck Jr. and Gertrude Elizabeth (Pender), she was born July 23, 1931, in Brooklyn.
Marlene grew up in Hollis and Jamaica in Queens, N.Y. She attended St. Gerard’s School and Bishop McDonnell High School, graduating in 1949. Following high school, she attended Adelphi University on Long Island. In 1950, she met Harvey V. McMahon and they were married May 31, 1952.
In the early years of their marriage they lived in Floral Park, N.Y., where they welcomed their first son, Brian, in 1954 and daughter, Leslie, in 1957. In 1958, they moved to East Williston to accommodate their growing family, and their second son, David, was born there in 1965. The following year, the family moved to Basking Ridge, N.J. Marlene spent much of her time over the next few years taking David to various special schools and working with United Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey, the Association of Retarded Citizens of Somerset County and the local school district to find appropriate schooling and other options for him. She served on both the ARC and UCP boards and was proactive in efforts to establish group homes for the disabled in Somerset County, N.J.
In the early 1970s, while David was at the Matheny School in Peapack-Gladstone, Marlene took a position with the Somerset County Homebuilders’ Association. Over the years, the organization grew and she assumed a leadership role as the association executive.
Upon her retirement in 1993, Marlene and Harvey retired to Southold. She was an active member of St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold for many years and was a volunteer at Parish Outreach.
Marlene loved her friends, particularly Marilyn Scott of Cave Creek, Ariz., Constance Parday of Bethel, Conn., Joan Forde of Greensboro, N.C., and Cappy Ulsamer of Arlington, Va., all of whom she had known since early childhood and remained lifelong close friends. She was an avid reader and loved to watch old movies.
Marlene is survived by her son David McMahon of Warren, N.J.; daughter, Leslie Frank (Michael) of Spofford, N.H.; granddaughter, Kimberley Salmon of Somerville, Mass., and grandson, Andrew Salmon of Baltimore, Md.; a step-granddaughter, Melissa Jackson (Jonathan) of Canton, N.C., and their son, Jayce; and her caregiver, Lana, who was like a sister to her. She was predeceased by Harvey Oct. 22, 2017, and son Brian McMahon in October 2016.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, Nov. 30, at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick R.C. Church in Southold, followed by a gathering of family and friends at the family home.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Coster-Heppner Funeral Home in Cutchogue.
The family requests contributions be made to The ARC of Somerset County or East End Hospice.
This is a paid notice.
