Stephen Edmund Quinn

Quinn, Stephen Edmund

Stephen Edmund Quinn, beloved husband, devoted father and pioneering utility executive, died March 6, 2014 at the age of 67 in Austin, Texas.

Born in Milwaukee, WI and the eldest of four children, he attended Marquette High School and Marquette University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. A member of the ROTC, he was commissioned as an officer of the US Navy Nuclear Submarine Service, serving on the USS Ray 653. He also received degrees from the Tuck Business School at Dartmouth Executive Program and completed the Nuclear Power Operations Senior Nuclear Plant Management Course.

His work as an engineer began with Sargent and Lundy architect engineers in Chicago in project management and licensing. He later served as a project engineering manager during the construction of Public Service Indiana's Marble Hill Nuclear construction project in Madison, IN. He joined Consolidated Edison in New York in 1984, the beginning of a 24-year career with crucial management positions at the company's Indian Point nuclear power plant. He moved on to be vice president of maintenance and construction and then heading substation operations. In those roles he played a crucial part of the command team at ConEd that restored power to Manhattan after the attacks of September 11, 2001, and in the recovery after two East Coast blackouts.

His professional accomplishments are only part of the story of this devoted family man. He met Katy Dady in the Navy and they married in September 1973, beginning a 40-year love journey. Together they raised four children—Heather and Meghan followed by Conor (also a nuclear engineer) and Riley. He boasted that he raised his kids to be independent and self-supporting, whom they have done in finance (Heather and Riley) and consumer electronics (Meghan) as well as nuclear engineering (Conor)—despite being prohibited from watching the Simpsons. While living in New York, Steve enjoyed the camaraderie of the Taconic Road Runners Club, serving as Vice President of the club and race director for quirky events like the Mudders and Grunters cross country race and the Freezer 5's. He could be found "running with the gang" at FDR Park in Yorktown Heights after work and at the Croton Reservoir on weekends, as well as frequently partying with fellow runners. In addition to numerous shorter races, Steve completed two New York City Marathons and a Dutchess County Marathon.

Steve enjoyed golf and the many friends with whom he played among many other interests. He also enjoyed woodworking, reading, playing Sudoku, fly fishing and swapping jokes with the Thursday night poker group at Berry Creek.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Clint Fong. He is survived by Catherine his four children Heather (James) Molloy, Meghan (Christopher) Williams, Conor (Anne) and Riley (Alyssa), a brother Pat (Sue) of Eau Claire, WI, two sisters, Mary of Shorewood, WI and Peggy (John) Niemer of Wauwatosa, WI; and most of all the seven plus grandchildren: Campbell and Will Molloy, Cooper, Owen and Henry Quinn, Quinn Williams, and Troy Quinn and his soon to be born sister.

In lieu of gifts the family requests donations be made to the Seton Williamson Foundation (www.setonwilliamsonfdn.org) to support cardiac care.

Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.cook waldendavisfuneralhome.com.