Maureen Morrissey Winstanley
- May 20
- 2 min read
Maureen Ann Morrissey Winstanley passed away May 1, 2026 at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington.
Maureen was born on June 17, 1941, in Brooklyn. She was the oldest child of Thomas Morrissey and Mildred Lake, and grew up alongside her siblings Brian, Jeanne, Marilyn, and Joyce. Maureen attended Catholic schools, graduating from St. Thomas Aquinas Elementary School and Stella Maris High School.
After high school, Maureen met Jerry Winstanley while he was serving in the Coast Guard at Floyd Bennett Field. They married in May 1961 and moved to Aurora, where they began raising their family. Together they had four children: Steve, Holli, Teri, and Jeri. The family later moved to Livermore before Maureen eventually settled in San Diego in 1978, where she raised her children as a single mother after her divorce in 1979.
From 1978 until her retirement in 1997, Maureen worked as a medical transcriptionist at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. She built a quiet and meaningful life centered around family, books, music, cooking adventures, and simple pleasures like watching Judge Judy and exploring the internet. She especially cherished family gatherings, whether for holidays or card games around the table.
In her later years, Maureen enjoyed traveling with family, including trips to England, a Mexican Riviera cruise, and a memorable journey to Ireland with 18 relatives, where they discovered the home of their great-grandparents. Her greatest affection, however, was reserved for cats. She lovingly cared for her own pets and never turned away a stray cat that wandered to her doorstep.
Maureen will be remembered most for her resilience, strength, and optimism. Despite decades of health challenges, she adapted to whatever life placed before her with determination and humor. Her family often compared her to the famous Timex slogan: “She takes a licking, but keeps on ticking.”
Maureen was preceded in death by her parents, Tom and Mildred Morrissey; her brother, Brian; and her sister, Jeanne.
She is survived by her children: Steve Winstanley (Mary), Holli Langdeau, Teri Winstanley, and Jeri Hazen (Scott); by her 13 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; and by her sisters Marilyn Lough and Joyce Masterson (Mike), along with many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews whose lives she touched deeply.
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