Back to Full List Untitled Maureen McCarry Acrylic on Canvas & Mixed-media Kate Wesselman, artist Maureen's grandfather emigrated from Ireland, as my relatives did. Mine found their fortunes in California's gold country, while Maureen's grandfather helped build the trans-USA railroad. He followed the gold up to Alaska, settling in the Northwest because it was the most beautiful place he'd seen in all his travels. He served as Chief of Detectives in the early 1900's. Maureen's father then traveled to Chicago and New York to go to medical school because, at that time, Washington had no educational facility for medical students. Maureen also traveled in search of education; after attending the University of Washington she received her Ph.D. in the other Washington - the District of Columbia, said Wesselman. "We are both proud of our heritage, and I'd love to go to Ireland with Maureen some day." Kate Wesselman writes: "Maureen is dedicated to helping others by creating solutions for people. She is one of the most flexible, effective, and devoted people I know. She worked with medical staff and architects to develop Harborview's master plan and additions. They loved working with her, a credit to her skill and ability to create positive solutions serving a wide range of patients, staff, and neighbors, while at once protecting and improving the neighborhood surrounding the hospital. Harborview is the hospital on "Grey's Anatomy", and I think of Maureen every time I watch, and I laugh too, because anyone who lives in Seattle knows that Harborview isn't anything like what they show on TV. It is a distinguished medical facility working in conjunction to the University of Washington that has received tremendous accolade and accreditation, while also providing aid to a wide range of patients, from the underserved, uninsured, to those with the most misunderstood, complex diagnoses. More like "House" combined with "Erin Brockovich" to me." Afterwards, she left her position to spend more time with her daughter, Michaela. Like her mother, Michaela has an easy smile, and learned to sail across Lake Washington alone this summer. Despite her busy schedule, Maureen freely volunteers at the school where both our daughters attend, and has been a real gift in my daughter's life. She has happily taken my daughter when I needed time, and I happily take hers when she needs time. Her daughter's easy nature makes her a joy to be around, and this, I believe, is a testament to Maureen's good parenting. Maureen serves on Issaquah's City Council. Her election to the City Council came down to a few votes. Each and every vote was important. It was like the end of an exciting movie when you're sitting on the edge of your seat. After she won, we were all on a ski trip. To celebrate her victory, I gave her a letter from the Governor, addressed to Maureen, after e-mailing the tale of her election to Olympia. The Governor was impressed, as were the rest of us. Maureen, humbly blushed, smiled, and thanked us. As a Master Planner, Maureen is very excited about the Master Plan for Issaquah's valley floor. She envisions a plan for Issaquah that will include a downtown core to serve every citizen, young and old. Places to shop, eat, sit, exercise, rest, wander, play, and work. She is excited when citizens come to Council meetings. She cares. That is the best thing about her, politically. She cares and listens. I know it is impossible for everyone to get exactly what they like, but I do know that everyone will get something they like. She is incredibly calm and organized, managing a busy household. A remodeling project was a real accomplishment in master planning as she carefully considered each choice and opinion. And while children, housework, and volunteering are enough to frazzle me, I am impressed how she calmly handles her cat's unmanageable nature through a cycle of the washing machine, vigilantly facilitating an all night rescue when the cat was stuck in the tree, helping her friends and family anytime they are in need, all the while working hard to represent all the individual voices of Issaquah. Kate explained her choice of art for the Collective Memory Project. "We were both raised Catholic, so I decided to paint Maureen as a saint card, like we used to get at church when we were girls. I didn't make her hold a real salmon. Or maybe I did. That will be a mystery!" McCarry laughed when Wesselman told her the idea for the project. "She told me to be sure to separate church and state. We both carry our faith close to the heart. So I didn't paint "Saint Maureen of Issaquah" on the banner. You have to be dead to be a saint, anyway. And sometimes a martyr. Maureen is alive and vital. And the Pope has to approve. Too much paperwork. The letter from the Governor will have to do. But it did take four days for me to paint her face. And nobody recognized it until I was finished. Then they looked at the face and said, "Hey, That's Maureen!" And I blushed and smiled."