Tribute to Mariah Hegarty

March 18, 1955 – September 15, 2016

[ed. note: Mariah and Tee often collaborated during the creation of Manzanita Quarterly, with Tee providing many of the cover photos. As we acknowledge ten years since Tee’s passing, it is with love and sadness that we now offer our appreciation for Mariah’s great contributions.]

Mariah Hegarty’s writing blossomed in the nineties as she joined the Southern Oregon Women Writers’ Group, the Yellow Pages Poetry Group, and connected with writing friends. She wrote vivid, evocative poetry, using precise imagery. In 1999 she published her chapbook The Moment When Poetry Becomes Possible.

She had always wanted to use her skills as an editor; and in 1998, she founded and edited the Manzanita Quarterly Literary Review. Linda Barnes writes: “It was a true badge of honor to be among the represented poets. Mariah’s own quiet discernment and steadfast commitment to quality were apparent throughout each issue, and at the readings the quarterly hosted.”

In her last years, she turned to photographic images, making and sharing exquisite photos of nature, people, and in particular, her beloved grandchildren.

The nineties and beyond were a time of personal growth and exploration for Mariah, that eventually evolved into a strong taste for solitude and simplicity. Though her journey took her away from Southern Oregon, she returned for the last two years of her life, wanting to be closer to her children and grandchildren, and her Oregon friends.

She was an inspiration to all who knew her and certainly to members of the Southern Oregon Women Writers’ Group. The elegance and wisdom she brought to her writing and her life will be long cherished.