Mary Virginia Tupper

Mary Virginia (Deschenes) Tupper died peacefully surrounded by loving family members on January 23, 2022, in Yarmouth, ME, her home for the last ten years. Virginia (Jinny) was born in Nashua, NH on May 16, 1929, as the daughter of Joseph A. and Mary Jane (Jackson) Deschenes. Raised in East Jaffrey, NH, she attended Regis College and graduated from the University of New Hampshire. She met and married Ansel Norton Tupper at UNH in 1950. The couple first resided in Waterville, Maine, eventually settling in South Portland, Maine. In this friendly and fostering community, they raised their family of six children.

Jinny’s Catholic faith was central to her life, and for years she was a regular communicant of Holy Cross Parish in South Portland. When she could no longer attend church in person, she took great comfort in participating in Catholic Mass on TV. She was employed by the school department of South Portland as a library assistant at Mahoney Junior High School and then as the career guidance resource assistant at South Portland High School. In her roles she helped students explore ideas for job opportunities, careers and college choices to match their interests and in doing so nurtured young people in discovery of their talents and passions. Later she consulted with the Greater Portland Guidance Consortium in organizing career fairs for eighth and tenth graders of this area. Her personal bookshelves were full of resources and research in all genres. She loved to read and learn new things and passed this passion on to her family. She enjoyed sailing and hiking with her husband, Tup, and walking their dog, Rambo, among friends at Fort Williams in Cape Elizabeth and at Twin Brook in Cumberland.

Jinny is survived by six adult children and their spouses, seventeen grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren, all very much loved: Christopher (and Helen Clark) Tupper of Harpswell, ME, Stephen (and Clara Marie) Tupper of Missouri, Nicholas (and Susan Wietzke) Tupper of Marietta, GA, Nathaniel (and Judith Brittell) Tupper of Yarmouth, ME, Ellen (and Thomas) Carr of Scituate, MA, and Benjamin (and Mariana Stockly) Tupper of Yarmouth, ME.

Grandchildren include: Jordan (and Amanda Enters) Tupper, Samuel (and Samantha Hill) Tupper, Brian (and Liddy van der Linden) Tupper, Alan (and Carrie Whittier) Tupper, Jackielyn (and Steven) Matthews, Lily Tupper, Joseph Tupper, Tobias (and Kelli) Tupper, Jacob (and Emily) Tupper, Daniel Tupper, Stephanie Tupper, Paul (and Kathrin Muecke) Tupper, Scott Tupper, Zachary Tupper, Dr. Audrey Carr (and Kevin Eglitis), Thomas (and Laura Dedinsky) Carr, and Charlotte Carr. Great-grandchildren include Cora, Ruthanne, Owen, Henry, Melissa, Christina and Avery.

Jinny’s brother Joseph Thomas Deschenes and his wife Julie live in Rotunda West, FL. She is also survived by several nieces, nephews, their children and many cousins.

Virginia was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Ansel (Tup) in 2010, as well as their infant daughter, Mary, in 1952.

In remembrance of Virginia (Deschenes) Tupper, please consider a donation in her name to the Jaffrey Public Library C/O Julie Perrin at 38 Main Street, Jaffrey, NH 03452; www.jaffreypubliclibrary.org or to a public library of your choice.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, May 23, 2022 at 11:00 AM in Saint Patrick Church, 89 Main Street, Jaffrey, NH 03452, and interment will follow in Saint Patrick Cemetery, also in Jaffrey.