John Joseph Quinn

John Joseph Quinn

Knoxville, TN

On October 8, John Joseph Quinn

quietly passed away at home. John loved his wife Betsy, his children Daniel Quinn, Elizabeth Quinn-Stine, Heather Quinn- Bader, Jennifer Quinn, and research. He earned his PhD in physics at the University of Maryland in 1958 and after a 1 year post doc, started his professional career at RCA Labs in Princeton. John returned to university life as a visiting professor at Purdue and at age 30, became a full

professor at Brown University. His

publications include almost 400 papers and Solid State Physics, a grad school textbook. Mid career he worked in university administration and left the position as Dean of Faculty at Brown University to become the first outsider chancellor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. After 3 interesting years he returned to academics as the Willis Lincoln Chair of Excellence professor of physics. At 81, he retired with the title Chancellor Emeritus. Some physicists find it hard to retire and if math colleagues can work their way through referees, his last paper will be published posthumously. In addition to his wife and children, John is survived by 9 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren, a sister, beloved in-laws, respected colleagues, treasured grad students, post docs, and students who became respected colleagues, and dear friends here in Knoxville and all over the world. At some time in the future a gathering will be held.