Obituaries

Edward William Quinn

Mar 25th, 2019

Edward William Quinn
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Edward William Quinn 94 of Haddam, CT and formerly of Dennis died peacefully Monday March 25, 2019 at The Saybrook at Haddam Senior Living Facility in Haddam, CT.

Edward was born and raised in Worcester, one of two children born to the late John C. and Anna (Goodwin) Quinn.

Edward attended Massachusetts School of Art in Boston before being drafted in 1942 at the advent of World War II. Ed served as a photographer in the Army Air Force, most notably on Tinian Island in the Central Pacific Ocean. His primary responsibilities included loading aerial cameras onto B-29 bombers to photograph bombing raids on Japan and then developing film to qualify mission success.

Following military service, Ed attended Clark University and graduated with a B.A. in Marketing. He earned his M.B.A from the University of Michigan School of Business in 1951.

Ed married the love of his life, the late Barbara (Adams) Quinn of Woburn in 1951, and raised their family in Wayland. They spent summers in Harwich Port and built a new summer home in Dennis in 1975, ultimately retiring there.

Married for over fifty years, ‘Ed and Barb’ enjoyed family life in suburban Boston and on Cape Cod. Ed was an avid Boston sports fan, especially of his beloved Red Sox. In addition to his great sense of humor, Ed’s passions included photography, gardening, and landscaping. He would toil for hours to maintain the perfect lawn and flower beds. Until recent years, Ed was also an active tennis player and a twenty year member of the Mid-Cape Tennis Club.

Ed’s distinguished business career started as Sales Promotion Manager of Radio Station WTAG in Worcester. He then became Advertising Manager of Martin Cerel Realty in Boston.

In 1961, Ed launched Quinn & Johnson Advertising Agency in Boston with business partner, Robert ‘Bob’ Johnson. Ed served as President of Quinn & Johnson for twenty years and continued in the same capacity for another ten years when the firm merged with Ingalls Advertising. Q&J earned an impeccable business reputation and grew to become one of the largest advertising firms in New England. Ed and Bob were well known for making many business decisions on their daily commute from their suburban homes in Wayland. Major advertising clients included Fidelity Investments, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Friendly’s Restaurants, Boston Globe, General Electric Major Appliances of New England and many more.

Ed was active in many charitable and civic causes in the Boston community. He served as a Trustee of the U.S.S. Constitution Museum and as Director of Boy Scouts of America, Boston Chapter. He also served on the Board of Directors of Nimrod Press. Ed also served for many years as Director of the Advertising Club of Boston and the New England Broadcasting Association. Ed was an active participant in Our Lady of the Cape Catholic Church in Brewster. He served for thirteen years as a volunteer for the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

Edward is survived by his son, David, and daughter-in-law Sheri Cote of Quaker Hill, CT; his daughter, Deborah Quinn-Munson and son-in-law Russell Munson of Chester, CT; four grandchildren, Scott Munson and his wife, Sarah Kilby and Sarah Himmelrich and her husband, Jacob Himmelrich all of Brooklyn, NY; William Quinn and his wife, Stephanie Quinn of Milton; and Robert ‘Edward’ Quinn, of Mystic, CT. Ed is also survived by three great grandchildren, Edith Russell Himmelrich, Declan Mackenzie Quinn, and Louisa Mae Kilby Munson. In addition to his wife and parents, Edward was predeceased by his older brother, John Vincent Quinn of Shrewsbury.

A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday March 30 in Dennis Village Cemetery, Dennis where Edward will be laid to eternal rest next to his beloved wife, Barbara.

As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o Our Lady of the Cape Catholic Church, P.O. Box 1799, Brewster, MA 02631.

Guest Book

Paul Regan
#1
Wednesday - Mar 27, 2019 12:00 am

My sympathies are with the Quinn family today, I joined Quinn and Johnson as Creative Director in the mid 1980’s and although Ed was retired by then and enjoying the Cape, to this day I don’t forget the time Ed spent with me getting accustomed to his perception of the Boston advertising business. He was a true gentleman in a not always gentlemanly business. Paul Regan South Woodstock Vermont

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