John "Jack" F. Quinn

John F. (Jack) Quinn, a retired executive and well known sailor, died September 21, 2015, in Easton, MD, after a lengthy illness. He was 89. Born in Philadelphia in 1926, and raised in the Philadelphia suburbs, Mr. Quinn graduated from St. Joseph’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree, and attended the Johns Hopkins University where he majored in chemistry. During World War II, Mr. Quinn spent two years in the South Pacific with the First Marine Division as a machine gunner. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered on Okinawa. He also received two Battle Stars and the President’s Unit Citation. Following the war, Mr. Quinn worked for 23 years with W.R. Grace & Co., becoming a Vice President of the Grace InterAmerican Division. After his retirement from W.R. Grace, he went on to become president of Ulmer Kolius Sails – Annapolis, a post he held for a period of ten years before taking the position of Director of Varsity Offshore Sailing at the U.S. Naval Academy. During his tenure as a sailing coach for the Naval Academy, the Navy team won first overall in the 1992 Newport to Bermuda Race. Prior to moving to Easton in 1998, he lived in Greenwich, CT; San Francisco, CA; and Gibson Island, MD. He lived on Gibson Island for 30 years, where he served as president of the Gibson Island Corporation. He also was active in the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association, of which he served as president in 1987 and subsequently was named an Honorary Life member in recognition of his long dedication and significant contributions to the organization. In addition, Mr. Quinn was involved with the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF), both nationally and regionally, serving as president of PHRF of the Chesapeake and on the national board. In addition to sailing, both racing and cruising, Mr. Quinn also enjoyed tennis, golf, and hunting. He had a keen interest in racing sailboats and won numerous season championships in the Luders 16, Shields, and International One-Design classes on Long Island Sound, and several handicap racing season championships in both PHRF and IMS divisions on the Chesapeake Bay. A former member of the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron and Gibson Island Yacht Squadron, Mr. Quinn also was a member of the Tred Avon Yacht Club, the Storm Trysail Club, the Cruising Club of America, and past Rear Commodore of the Chesapeake Station. Mr. Quinn is survived by his wife of more than 64 years, Shirley Adams Quinn; his son, J. Colin Quinn; his sister, Molly Seward of St. David’s, PA; granddaughters, Teal Quinn and Lindsey Quinn; great-granddaughter, Linden Slayden; and son-in-law, Sean Fisher. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Tara Adams Quinn Fisher. A Celebration of Life will be held at the Tred Avon Yacht Club, Oxford, MD, on Thursday, October 15, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Jack’s memory to Talbot Humane, 7894 Ocean Gateway, P.O. Box 1143, Easton, MD 21601.

John "Jack" F. Quinn

May 2, 1926 - September 21, 2015