Mary Merin Tinkham passed away peacefully on Nov. 11, 2025, in Portland, Oregon.
Mary was born April 18, 1935, in Glens Falls, New York. A longtime resident of Belmont, Mary served on the Belmont School Committee, was a Town Meeting member for 30 years, and chair of the Democratic Town Committee. Mike and Mary were active members of The First Church in Belmont, serving on the Parish and Finance Committees and singing in the choir.
She leaves behind sons Jeffrey Michael Tinkham, his wife Carole Demar, and Christopher Gillespie Tinkham, his wife Shannon Casey, and grandchildren Adeline, Alden, and Kyle.
She was predeceased by her husband, Professor Michael Tinkham.
At an early age, her family moved from Bolton Landing, New York, where both her parents served as the town’s physicians, to New York City. Soon after, her parents bought Munlochy, a home on Basin Bay at Lake George, New York. Summers were spent on the lake, water skiing, and sailing.
Mary graduated from Northfield Preparatory School, Cornell University, and the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a master’s degree in political science.
After her sons reached adulthood, she embarked on a career at the Harvard International Office, where she managed multiple programs for spouses of visiting Harvard faculty. This work had its kismet in Mary’s experience living in Karlsruhe, Germany, as Mike worked on sabbatical at the University of Applied Sciences. Their jobs at Harvard also allowed her and Mike to commute to work together every day.
Sabbaticals were grand family adventures that allowed visits to many historic and cultural sites throughout Europe. Once her children were off on their own, Mary and Mike continued their travels to Asia, Russia, and Turkey. Always fans of fine food and drink, they enjoyed many a fine dining experience at spots near and far.
Mary and Mike moved to Portland, Oregon, in 2010 to be closer to Jeff and Chris. Mary, true to her nature, soon became very active in the community. She and Mike joined the Portland Peace Choir. She volunteered with Views, the local library, served meals to the homeless, and was a hands-on grandma for her grandchildren.
If one event encapsulates Mary’s zest for life, it was her paragliding flight in Aspen, Colorado, at age 75. A nickname from her childhood, “Little Mary Sunshine,” remained apt. Always happy to meet and make new friends, she was a light that shone brightly wherever life took her.
