Marjorie A. Cronin

Marjorie Alice Cronin passed away peacefully on June 21, 2023 at home in Auburn, New Hampshire.  She was 80 years old.  Until her very last breath, Marjorie was surrounded by her family embraced in love.  We shed tears that she is gone but we also smile because she lived. 

Marjorie was born on Sunday, November 15, 1942, appropriate for a woman who rarely missed mass.  Her parents were Ralph Goodwin, and Alice Goodwin (née Plowright).

She was married to her one and only love, the late Joseph D. Cronin for 47 years, until his sudden passing on March 29, 2010.   Together, they raised three boys – “Joey, Danny and Neil.”

Marjorie graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in 1960.  For many years, she was a customer service representative with New England Telephone and then United Parcel Service.  Later, she was the owner/operator of a popular sub shop in Manchester.

Everyone’s “Nana,” Marjorie’s hobbies and interests were crafting, making homemade cards for US soldiers overseas, quilting, making countless masks during COVID, baking and spending time with and cooking for family and friends.

She was the most caring and loving person ever.  Nana loved to cook for her family.  It was one of the many ways she expressed love.  Her chocolate chip cookies were simple, yet scrumptious.  Her whoopie pies, delightful, her baked apple pie, legendary.   At the drop of hat, Nana would break out the ole sub shop skills and whip up the best steak-n-cheese this word as ever seen, for Jake, CJ & Colby, whether CJ drowned his in ketchup or not, Nana’s steak-n-cheeses were amazing.  She had already ensured that Joey, Danny and Neil were well fed – at time perhaps too well fed – but Nana always cooked/baked/fried/grilled or otherwise whatever food was requested of her.  Later in life, Nana even retooled at bit to abide Lisa’s much-welcomed, healthy-eating lifestyle.  But neither taste, nor love in the food were sacrificed.

Nana enjoyed watching sports with her children, grandchildren and friends.  Woe be the person who dissed her Red Sox.   She could beat anyone in any card game there was.  If you wanted to play cards with her, she’d carry you for a bit, then you got fleeced.  If you braved playing Monopoly, Backgammon or dice with Nana, good luck.  Yet somehow you felt fortunate to be trounced by the best, who had an impish, yet loving twinkle in her eye while doing so.  

As a mom, she was loving for sure, yet firm.  Your room was to be kept clean and your “things” put away.   After you used the bathroom to get ready for school or work or both, the bathroom was to be returned to “ship-shape,” no doubt borrowing from Puppy’s Naval parlance.  Homework was to be done.  There were no excuses for not getting A’s.  Your plate was to be cleaned.  And if you didn’t appreciate what was made for dinner (proof that you were doubtlessly impaired in some non-obvious way) you could go without or, if you were lucky, you could have cereal.

As a grandmother, Nana burst with pride over all of 7 of her grandchildren.  Proud of each and every one of them for each of their own impressive and equal talents.  Nana knew that she had created a great legacy, yet she exhibited no hubris.

Nana and Puppy purchased a wonderful little “camp” on Suncook River Lake in Barnstead.  In the summers, we may not have been on Governors Island in Lake Winnipesaukee, but we felt like we were.  Swimming, snorkeling, fishing, waterskiing, sailing and more.  Every year, Puppy and Uncle Bruce would head east to procure the necessary sea fare.  Nana would officiate the kids' lobster races, as long as “we were not mean to them.”  This annual race of the crustaceans was followed by an amazing outdoor “clam bake,” consisting of steamers, corn on the cob, buttered rolls and of course our fallen racers.  To us, simply put, it was heaven. 

Nana and Puppy travelled to Ireland and Alaska and many other places.  They purchased a wonderful condo in Dunedin, Florida, on Honeymoon Island.  She served on the condo association’s board of directors and made many friends.  If you met Nana, you liked her.  Period.

In her heyday, she enjoyed motorcycle rides on Joe’s Honda Goldwing.  Nana even braved a ride on Joey’s motorcycle in Haddonfield not long ago.  She was tender and sweet, but fearless.  Nana was secure that God knew she was special and would watch over her and her family.  Not ironic to the fact her son Danny is an insurance expert, Nana was our insurance policy with God.  You just felt safe as long as you were with her.  Nana and Neil spent much time together, Neil making sure that all her needs were met.  In the same vain, there was/is no better daughter-in-law than Lisa who cared more for Nana than any child has for their own mother.  Indeed, if you met Nana, you not only liked her, you loved her.

Nana always said she wanted to go to heaven to see God.   So, apropos of Nana’s passion for cooking and service to others, let us not forget that “death is nature’s way of saying ‘your table is ready.’”  Nana is not in pain anymore and she is now at the table of God with her husband Joe having a wonderful meal looking over us and smiling saying “love each other, don’t fight and remember me.”

Nana leaves behind her 3 sons, Joseph D. Cronin, Esquire, Haddonfield, New Jersey, Daniel F. Cronin, Auburn, New Hampshire, and Neil A. Cronin, Auburn New Hampshire, her future daughter-in-law Lisa M. Misiaszek (Daniel’s betrothed), along with 7 wonderful grandchildren Marie-Elena Cronin, DMD, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Christina M. Cronin, New York, New York, Juliana J. Cronin, Haddonfield, New Jersey, Jake J. Cronin, Hooksett, New Hampshire,  M. Colby Misiaszek, his wife Nikki L. Misiaszek, both of Derry, New Hampshire, and Camden James (“CJ”), LaBonville, Auburn, New Hampshire.  She leaves behind her sister Maryanne Pelczar, her husband Dave, both of Walnut Cove, North Carolina, her brother Michael Goodwin, his wife Rita, both of Nashua, New Hampshire.  Her “Irish twin” sister Ruthie left this earth on August 19, 2022.  Nana’s empathic canine grandchildren, Nash and Teddy, stalwart caregivers in their own right, will miss her too.

SERVICES: There will be no calling hours.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be Wednesday, June 28, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Saint Peter Church, 567 Manchester Road, Auburn.  Committal prayers will immediately follow at Saint Joseph Cemetery 448 Donald St., Bedford, New Hampshire.  After her burial, from Noon to 4 p.m., a reception celebrating Nana’s life will take place at the Puritan Conference Center, 245 Hooksett Road, Manchester, New Hampshire.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Nana’s memory to American Cancer Society.