MaryAnn Lunn, wife of John Lunn, mother of Molly and Andrew Lunn, closed an eight-year struggle with colon cancer Wednesday, September 1st at her home. She was 51. Born to George and Bessie Ambelas of Livingston, New Jersey, both of Greek descent, MaryAnn graduated cum laude from Hartwick College in 1981 with a B.S. in Nursing. She moved to Weymouth after college and later settled in Norwell, where she lived for 25 years.

MaryAnn worked as an RN in Boston until just before her death, first at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and University Hospital (now Boston Medical Center), then for many years in the Intensive Care Unit at Tufts Medical Center. Most recently, MaryAnn worked as a research nurse at Brigham and Women's Hospital, where her responsibilities included coordinating the Rapid Response System and reporting on incidents of cardiac arrest.

Despite these professional accomplishments, MaryAnn credited her family as her most meaningful life vocation and success. Her love and attention to detail was apparent in her orchestration of campfire feasts at family reunions, the swim team banquets and Sunday school lessons she planned, her devotion to her home gardens, the bi-weekly care packages sent to her daughter in college, and how she quietly inspired her son to complete his Eagle Scout project.

Blessed with a creative streak she often downplayed, MaryAnn was a closet artist and musician when she found time for herself. She was known for her home-painted holiday gifts, endless batches of uniformly twisted Greek cookies, and her rare but cheerful piano tunes whose occasion surprised even the piano.

MaryAnn's personal hobbies included gardening, Pilates, vacuuming and running. In fact, she trained for and completed a triathlon less than a year after her first surgery, in 2003, and took pride in being physically active throughout her life. MaryAnn always dreamed of living on the ocean.

In addition to her husband and children, MaryAnn is survived by her brother Gary Ambelas and his wife Denise of NH, and her sister Ellen Hoffmann and husband Rick of NJ. Godchildren include Alex and Larissa Hoffmann; surviving pets include Misty the cat and chickens Bella and Lucy.

Visiting hours

Visiting hours omitted.

Service Information

A celebration of MaryAnn's life will be held at the United Church of Christ (UCC) Norwell, 460 Main Street, on Saturday, September 11th at 1pm.

Memorial donations would be appreciated at Friendship Home Inc., PO Box 916, Norwell, in MaryAnn's name. Located behind UCC Norwell, Friendship Home provides respite care to disabled children, adults and their families.