John D. Quinlan 1919-2005

HOYT, QUINLAN

Posted By: michael (email)
Date: 1/17/2005 at 09:10:26

Former West Branch Postmaster John D. Quinlan, 85, of Iowa City died Saturday, January 15, 2005 at his home surrounded by family.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, January 19, 2005 at 10 AM at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church with the Rev. Rudolph Juarez officiating. A luncheon in the Parish Hall will follow the service. Graveside Services with military rites by the West Branch American Legion will be held at 2PM, Wednesday at West Branch Cemetery. Friends may call from Tuesday from 3 to 8PM at Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service where a rosary will be recited at 4:30PM and a Parish Vigil Service will be held at 7PM. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Iowa City Hospice or St. Patrick’s Church.

Mr. Quinlan was born February 4, 1919 to Thomas and Gertrude Hoyt Quinlan in Williamsburg, Iowa. Before moving to Iowa City, the family lived on farms in the Oxford and Cosgrove area. His father was a cattle buyer, and his mother was employed at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City for many years.

He is survived by his wife Anita (Madden) Quinlan, of Iowa City, and their 13 children. The Quinlans lived in West Branch for many years, and all their children graduated from West Branch High School.

Quinlan spent 30 years with the U.S. Postal Service and was appointed Postmaster for West Branch in 1973 and served until he retired in 1984. Prior to working as a postal clerk in West Branch and Iowa City, he was a railroad mail clerk who worked several rail lines from Council Bluffs to Rock Island and Chicago. He also worked several years as a farm hand in the West Branch area. In the late 1960s and early 1970s he helped his wife operate Anita’s Drive-In restaurant in West Branch.

Since his retirement, he and his wife lived together in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

After attending school in Cosgrove for several years and working on his grandparents’ farm, Quinlan attended and graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in Iowa City in 1937. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the states and overseas with the 1st Army Division, 604 Ordinance Company B as a tank mechanic. His brother Paul was an officer in the Air Force and his brother Robert was a pilot in the Navy.

After the Army, Quinlan was part owner of a small grocery store and post office in Tiffin, where he met his wife. They were married on October 14, 1946 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Oxford. After living on several farms throughout the Iowa City and West Branch area, they moved to West Branch in 1960.

He was a member of the Chauncey Butler chapter of the American Legion Post 514 and the Knights of Columbus Marquette Council #842.

His survivors include his 8 daughters and 5 sons: Mary (Richard) Doyle of Cedar Rapids and their children, Mee Jin and Kate; Jo Quinlan (Les Butterbaugh) of Cedar Rapids and their children, Josephine and John Velles; Patricia Quinlan (Robert Scheck) of Chicago; Jean (Gary) Carter of Vancouver, Washington, and her children Bryan and Eric Walker; Jim Quinlan of Indianapolis and his children, Tricia and Chad; Judy (William) Jasper of East Palo Alto, California and their children, Jaime, Kristina and Ian; Tom (Susan) Quinlan of Mount Prospect, Illinois and their children, Patrick, Christopher and Kelly; Coleen Quinlan of Iowa City and her child Jessica Williams; Mike (Faith) Quinlan of West Branch; Johnita Quinlan of West Branch and her children, Matthew and Elizabeth Cismar; Maureen (John) Krob of Solon and their children, Amanda and Kate; D.J. (Davona) Quinlan of Iowa City; and David Quinlan of West Branch.

He is survived by 4 great-grandchildren (Sage Walker, Ivy Walker, Sydney Kramer and Alexander Velles; a sister-in-law, Josephine Quinlan, and her daughter, Kathleen Quinlan and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Paul, James and Robert.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lensingfuneral.com by clicking on obituaries/condolences.