Stephen Timothy Quigley, Jr.

Stephen Timothy Quigley, Jr. died March 15, 2024 at the age of 78 after a long illness. Known to all as "Tim", he was a beloved father, grandfather, brother, uncle, son, & friend. His life was defined by his commitment to his family, community, and country.

Born September 22, 1945 in Wabasha, Minnesota to Stephen T. Quigley, Sr. & Catherine Langdon Foley, Tim's community involvement began early when he earned the Eagle Scout award in 1959. He attended Cretin High School in St. Paul where he completed the junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program and received a nomination to the U.S. Naval Academy from Minnesota Senator Hubert Humphrey.

After graduating in 1967, Tim embarked on a nearly 30-year Naval career. He was certified as a P3 pilot and conducted surveillance operations around the Pacific Rim as a member of several patrol squadrons, including VP-1, VP-50, and VP-47. With VP-1, he served three combat tours during the Vietnam War. It was as a young pilot that Tim first found his way to San Jose, the city that would become his adopted hometown for nearly half a century.

His senior military leadership roles included squadron commander for VP-47, Executive Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief of NATO Forces Southern Europe and Naval Forces Europe, Commanding Officer at Moffett Field Naval Air Station, and Director of Strategic Planning and Policy for the Department of the Navy. Along with numerous military honors, Tim completed an executive management certification course from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and served as course president for the NATO Defense College in Rome. After retiring from the Navy at the rank of Captain in 1994, Tim returned to San Jose to embark on the next semester of his life.

As a corporate and non-profit executive, Tim served as President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Defense/Space Consortium, Managing Director & CEO of the Silicon Valley Global Trading Center, Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Silicon Valley, and Program Director of Green Challenge California. He later served as Chairman and CEO of Azores TV and NPG Multimedia. In addition to his business interests, Tim maintained active community involvement by volunteering as a board member for the San Jose Symphony and the San Jose Police Foundation, and was a member of the Rotary Club of San Jose. A regular presence at San Jose City Council meetings and other government and community events, Tim was a respected civic leader with seemingly inexhaustible energy.

He developed a passion for citizen diplomacy between nations as a way to foster peace through economic, social, and cultural connections. Tim's first and longest lasting role was on the board of the San Jose/Dublin Sister City Program where he led efforts to create the Pat McMahon Masters Level Scholarship program. Established in 2012, the McMahon scholarship provides an academic exchange internship for students at San Jose State University and Dublin City University. Tim grew his involvement in citizen diplomacy by serving as Board Chair of Sister Cities International and President of the Sister Cities International Foundation, which he helped to create. He was honored for his work with the Spirit of Ireland Award from the San Jose/Dublin Sister City Program, and the Foreign Minister's Commendation from the Consul General of Japan in San Francisco.

A fourth generation Irish American, Tim cherished his heritage and the strong sense of family that his large Irish clan instilled in him. Outgoing, friendly, and optimistic, he saw the common humanity of people he met and befriended around the world. He enjoyed big family reunions and weddings, ski trips to Lake Tahoe with his children, and his annual "Christmas in the Park" family holiday celebration. Though he accomplished a great deal, he always maintained that his greatest pride came from his family.

Tim is survived by his partner of more than 20 years, Tsuyoshi Hashimoto of Kumamoto, Japan; daughter Ashley Jardine of Oakland, CA; sons Aaron (Jenny) of San Jose, CA; Nathan (Corinne) of San Francisco, CA; and Joshua (Tracy Gondo) of Oakland, CA; siblings Cathy (Ray) Wicks of Woodbury, MN; Mary (John) Stevens of Marshalltown, IA; Eileen of Silver Spring, MD; Kevin (Camie) of South St. Paul, MN; John of Eagle Rock, CA; seven grandchildren and one great-grandson. He was previously married to Mary Lynn Ashburn of Sonora, CA.

A funeral mass will be held at the St. Christopher's Catholic Church in San Jose on April 10th. Interment will follow at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

Memorial contributions are appreciated to the Pat McMahon Scholarship Program or the Sister Cities International Foundation.