Search by Name

Add a Memory

Send Flowers

Make a Donation

Share Obituary

JOSEPH A. . QUINLAN ESQ

About

Lowell High School

FUNERAL HOME

O'Donnell Funeral Home

276 Pawtucket Street

Lowell, Massachusetts

JOSEPH QUINLAN Obituary

QUINLAN, Joseph A. Esq. Former longtime Assistant District Attorney Commonwealth of Mass; Joseph A. Quinlan, Esq., 61, of Swampscott, but always of Lowell, passed away peacefully Wednesday afternoon at Massachusetts General Hospital, in Boston, after a brief illness. A graduate of Lowell High School, Class of 1976, U/Mass Amherst, 1980 with BA's in Journalism and Political Science. Joe later went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from Western New England Law School in 1988. Professionally, he began his career as a reporter for the Associated Press. After law school, Joe became a prosecutor for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where he served as an Assistant District Attorney for over 28 years in Hampden, Worcester Counties and the Northwestern District. In 2008, Joe was named Prosecutor of the Year for Comm. of Mass, receiving the William C. O'Malley Award. Following his retirement, Joe served the State of New Hampshire as a prosecutor for both Carroll and Hillsborough Counties. Joe was a member of several professional associations, among them, the Massachusetts and New Hampshire Bar Associations, and Mass Board of Bar Overseers Supreme Judicial Court . Among his many passions and interests, Joe was a photographer, specializing in black and white photography, and for a time had a studio at Western Avenue in Lowell. He also enjoyed camping, gardening, running, and he ran twice in the Boston Marathon. However, Joe's greatest joy was being a father and spending time with his children. Joe is survived by his three children: Sally, Will and Teddy Quinlan, his four siblings: Amalia M. Quinlan and her husband Daniel Devine, Thomas A. Quinlan, Helen Q. Littlefield and her husband Robert, and Marian R. Walsh and her husband Gary; his fiancée, Mary Anne Lenihan; many nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews and cousins. Calling Hours at O'Donnel Funeral Home, 276 Pawtucket St., LOWELL, from 3 to 8 P.M., Tuesday. Relatives and friends are invited to attend his Funeral Mass to be celebrated Wednesday morning at the Immaculate Conception Church, Lowell at 12 o'clock, followed by his burial at St. Patrick's Cemetery. E-condolences/directions at www.odonnellfuneralhome.com Those wishing may make contributions in his memory to the Jimmy Fund, c/o the Dana Farber Institute, 450 Brookline Ave., West, Boston, MA 02215. Arrangements by O'Donnell Funeral Home (978) 458-8768.

View the online memorial for Joseph A. Esq. QUINLAN

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Boston Globe from Aug. 31 to Sep. 1, 2019.

Memories and Condolences
for JOSEPH QUINLAN

17 Entries

Helen Littlefield

September 28, 2019

I would to thank those who reached out to express their sympathy to Joe's family here on these pages. Your kind words and shared memories of our brother are much appreciated.

Gratefully,
Helen Quinlan Littlefield

Maria Mannix (Messitt)

September 7, 2019

I was so sorry to hear of Joe's passing. I knew him at UMass Amherst in the late 70s and worked on the Collegian with him.
I was always impressed by his passion for and expertise in the news industry. Especially when he got a coveted Boston Globe summer internship!

Stan Fitch

September 6, 2019

My Condolences to the Joe's family and friends. We were acquaintances in High School but got to know him in College. He was a great guy, always smiling. To this day, whenever I hear the Beach Boys, I think of Joe.

Tom Kenney

September 5, 2019

Marian and Quinlan Family, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of Joe. We ran track together at Lowell High and were freshman roommates at UMass Amherst. Joe was always a good friend with upstanding character. Joe's smiling face in that old gray station wagon that he drove in high school (before a lot of us had cars) is fixed in my memory. After reading about his remarkable life, I regret that we didn't reconnect in our later years. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Paula (Mulligan) Paquin

September 3, 2019

Helen, Marian & family,
I am so sorry to read about Joe's passing. He was such a nice kid growing up in our old highlands neighborhood. You are all in my thoughts & prayers.

Glenn Wallace

September 3, 2019

So sorry to read of Joe's passing. He was a great kid. I went to the Daley and Lowell High School with him. May he Rest in Peace. Gone much too soon.

Kate Gill

September 3, 2019

Dear Helen, Marion and family,

I haven't seen Joe in years but always just the best kid.

Sending healing thoughts and prayers to all of you! I am so very sorry.

Maryjo Finn-Ryan

September 3, 2019

To Marion and The Ouinlan Family,
Deepest Sympathy to you in the loss of your Father/Brother. May he Rest in Eternal Peace, May your memories carry you through the trying days ahead.
Fondly, Maryjo Finn-Ryan , Larry Finn, and the Finn Family.

Karen (Mulligan) Dow

September 3, 2019

Helen and Marion so sorry to read about Joe's death. I remember you all from growing up in the highlands. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Paul Healy

September 3, 2019

To the Quinlan family,

I am so sorry for your loss. Joe was always kind and helpful. An inspirational person. I will keep you in my prayers.

September 3, 2019

TO THE FAMILY:

MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY. JOE WAS ALWAYS KIND, HELPFUL, FUNNY. HE WILL BE MISSED. REST IN PEACE. ELLEN MANISCALCO

William Kulis

September 3, 2019

Dear Helen,
Our deepest sympathy on hearing of the passing of your brother Joe. He always had a smile and good word for all.
Sincerely ,
Bill and Maryanne Kulis
Falmouth MA.

Jack Thomas

September 1, 2019

My condolences to Joe's family. We went to Lowell High School together; he was the most wonderfully warm and generous of friends. We had a Reunion dinner two summers ago. Despite all of life's vicissitudes, he remained an open-hearted person of genuine kindness.

Michael Sullivan

September 1, 2019

To Joe's Family and Friends:

Please accept my deepest sympathies. I had the great pleasure of working with Joe in the DA's office early in our legal careers and then running into him decades later in Worcester. He was just one of this great people we get to met during our lives.

You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely,

Michael Sullivan

September 1, 2019

I knew Joe from his time in Springfield court.A nice guy.