Maureen “Reni” Moriarity

Obituaries

Maureen “Reni” Moriarity, 1945 to 2017, dedicated her life to art and creating beauty in everyday life.

Her paintings and home are full of beautifully arranged shells, flowers, books and objet d’art. She loved dogs, people, cooking, travel and swimming in Puget Sound. She was proud of her Irish-French heritage and her New Jersey roots. She could fill any room with her presence and loved making people laugh. Her vast circle of friends will remember her generosity, her lively wit, her stories laced with humor and irreverence, and above all, her charm and style. She leaves behind a large body of work, with her paintings and pottery decorating the homes of her many friends.

Moriarity was born in Trenton, New Jersey, to John and Elizabeth “Betty” Moriarity. After her father’s death, she moved to Seattle with her mother, who later married Glen “Dick” Winders. Reni Moriarity married Richard Stern; her only son, Jesse, was born in 1973.

In 1979, Moriarity married Mark Runions, a longtime Key Peninsula resident. He built their house in Longbranch, where she enjoyed the rest of her life.

Moriarity graduated from Sealth High School and attended the University of Washington, where she devoured art classes, studying drawing, paining and pottery. A professional potter for 20 years, she then began working fulltime and studied sumi brush technique with her mentor and friend, Fumiko Kimura.

Her award-winning art can be found in homes and galleries around the world. She was a member of Women Painters of Washington and a founding member of the Puget Sound Sumi Association.

Moriarity is survived by her loving husband, Mark; son Jesse; daughter-in-law Jeanne; stepfather Dick; sisters Sharon and Coleen; and her dog, Cass.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Longbranch Improvement Club June 10 at 3 p.m.

A retrospective show of Moriarity’s art will be on display at Blend in Key Center in June.