Dr. Naomi L. Quenk, of Saco, Maine and previously of Albuquerque, New Mexico, passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of September 28, 2021 at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, Maine. She was 85 years old.
Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1936, Naomi’s life was one lived with a passion for helping people to appreciate their differences. She was also a staunch and outspoken advocate for social justice and the environment. Her sharp wit – and, at times, sharp tongue – will be missed by all who knew her.
In her professional career, Naomi was the world’s leading authority on the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI), and was instrumental in its development. She published numerous research and theoretical articles exploring individual differences in personality, as well as several books relating to personality assessment, including Was That Really Me?: How Every Day Stress Brings Out Our Hidden Personality; In the Grip: Understanding Type, Stress, and The Inferior Function; and Essentials of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. She was coauthor of MBTI Manual: A Guide to the Development and Use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; among others. With her late husband, Alex, she authored the books, Dream Thinking: The Logic, Magic, and Meaning of Your Dreams, and True Loves: Finding the Soul in Love Relationships.
For many years, she was a clinical psychologist in Albuquerque, NM. Aside from her writing and clinical work, Naomi was instrumental in adapting the MBTI to be meaningful and useful for other cultures around the world, and she travelled worldwide conducting workshops on the use of the MBTI instrument. She served as President, Director, Trustee, Advisor and Member of boards and associations too numerous to mention.
In 2008, she moved to Maine to be closer to her daughter, Rachel, and granddaughter, Violet. Though she never truly retired – continuing her professional work right up to her final days – Naomi was able to spend her years in Maine with family and friends, appreciating the natural world surrounding her home.
She is predeceased by her husband Alex Quenk, and brothers Robert Litt and Mitchell Litt. She is survived by her three children and their families, Karen and David Sparks of Bryan, Texas, Kaleb Quenk of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and Rachel and Kevin Davis, and her granddaughter, Violet Davis of Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
A small, private, graveside service was officiated by Rabbi Saks of Congregation Bet Ha’am on Friday, October 1, 2021 at Temple Beth El Memorial Park. A Celebration of Life is planned for next year when it will be safer for her many friends and extended family to travel. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of Southern Maine, or the Southern Poverty Law Center.