H. Edward "Ed" Quick, Jr., 85, died peacefully on August 24, 2025 at the home he shared with his son in Germantown, Maryland, from complications of pancreatic cancer.

Ed was born on November 17, 1939, in Wichita, Kansas, the first son of Christine Aspy Quick, a homemaker, and Harold E. Quick, Sr., a shoe salesman. Nicknamed "The Professor" as a 6'4", pipe-smoking teen at Wichita North High School, Ed went on to study philosophy at Ottawa University in Ottawa, Kansas. There he met Colleen Mathews, who would become his wife of 56 years. The newlyweds moved to St. Louis where Ed earned a master's degree in philosophy at Washington University in St. Louis and nearly completed his doctoral work in political science, but set it aside when Senator Thomas F. Eagleton of Missouri recruited him to Washington.

For more than two decades on Capitol Hill, Ed was the discreet, diligent aide who ensured that legislation moved forward and constituents felt heard. He joined Eagleton's Senate staff in 1969 after volunteering on his first campaign and soon became one of the Senator's most trusted advisers. Regarded for encyclopedic knowledge of state politics and indispensable constituent work, Ed was known as "the third senator from Missouri," while avoiding the spotlight himself. He rose to become Eagleton's administrative assistant and later legislative director to Senator David Pryor of Arkansas. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush appointed him to the U.S. Postal Rate Commission, where his command of postal policy and reputation for fairness won bipartisan support.

In 2005, Ed and Colleen settled in Lawrence, Kansas, where he pursued his civic interests into retirement. He organized programming at the Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics; volunteered on local, state and federal campaigns; served as Chairman of the Douglas County Democratic Party; and modestly delighted in his responsibilities as jury foreman on a murder trial.

Beyond politics, Ed found joy in small eccentricities: his pencil collection sharpened and carefully arranged in rows; his personalized license plates referencing Russian literary classics; his signature style (dark sunglasses, brimmed hats, walking sticks and Pendleton flannels). As a daily reader of both the obituary section and the newspaper's list of celebrity birthdays, Ed would be pleased to share that his death-date coincides with the birthdays of: historian-activist Howard Zinn; droll British entertainer Stephen Fry; and "Iron Man" Cal Ripken, Jr., baseball's most loyal and dependable player.

Ed's quirks were matched by intellectual rigor and acts of unheralded generosity. He was a Cub Scout Denmaster, longtime Meals on Wheels volunteer, adult literacy tutor and active in the PTA. He coordinated outreach programs for the homeless and taught Sunday school at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in Washington. In Lawrence, he volunteered for the library's annual book sale (though partly to secure early access to books, CDs and cassettes of his choice, which he devoured and then distributed in curated stacks to family and friends). For years, Ed quietly purchased and delivered cases of diapers to local charities, office supplies to campaigns, and bread to the food pantry-100 loaves at a time.

A lifelong learner, Ed maintained his voracious appetite for reading and discourse. He continued classes at the University of Kansas into his eighties and attended online seminars several times a week until his final days. He was active in discussion groups on politics, medical ethics, grief support, and Latin studies, and was a fixture in more than one book club.

Ed persisted despite his lifelong struggle with depression and, what he considered the most significant event of his life, the death of his son, Teddy, who died of leukemia in 1979, at age 12. He took comfort in scholarship, faith and connection-to his family and the many cherished friendships he nurtured throughout the years.

He cared for Colleen devotedly throughout her neurodegenerative illness, visiting her nightly with ice cream to share and a novel to read aloud, until her death in 2018. In 2024, Ed returned to the Washington area to live with his son, Andy, and daughter-in-law, Maggie, who lovingly ensured that all his Jeopardy!, Criterion Collection and gourmet junk food needs were met.

Ed is survived by his children: Stephen Quick of San Francisco, California, and wife Glenda Swetman; Vanessa Quick of Istanbul, Turkey, and husband Serkan Kutlubay; Andrew T.M. Quick of Germantown, Maryland, and wife Maria Magdalena Serantes; and four grandchildren: T. Max Quick, Coco M. Quick, Ediz "Eddie" Kutlubay, and Constantine Quick. He was predeceased by his parents; brother, Wichita artist David Lee Quick; wife, military medical textbook editor Colleen Mathews Quick; and their eldest son, Edward "Teddy" Quick.

A gathering to celebrate Ed's life will be held on Sunday, October 5, 2025 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at Kentlands Mansion, 320 Kent Square Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. Condolences for the family may be sent to [email protected].

In recognition of Ed's enduring commitment to democratic participation, memorial contributions may be directed to the Southern Poverty Law Center for their efforts to combat voter suppression. www.splcenter.org

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

Published by Lawrence Journal-World on Sep. 23, 2025.

Memorial Events
for H. Quick

Oct

Memorial Gathering

2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Kentlands Mansion

320 Kent Square Rd, Gaithersburg, MD

Memories and Condolences
for H. Quick

4 Entries

David A. Lee

September 30, 2025

Ed had a droll wit and a quietly nonconformist attitude towards social conventions that were to him pointless or burdensome. I first knew him as a fellow student at Ottawa University, where he befriended me just exactly for my own inability to fit into religious and social niches. We both agreed that theology that could not pass the most severe intellectual tests was mostly worthless.

We rarely crossed paths after our student years and unfortunately when we did, we conflicted on a couple of social issues but on other big issues we shared pretty serious agreement. He amazed me with his voracious and always active intellect.

We missed each other at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lawrence, KS, where he attended in the years after I did, but I cannot pass this opportunity to say of him that to think of him is to remember what Dietrich Bonhoeffer said of Christ: He is "hidden" in and won't be expunged from the deepest recesses of our lives. Ed was always there, and the whole man was wholly there. Grace, Peace and Mercy to his family and all who had the massive privilege of knowing this truly great man.

Bill Lacy

September 25, 2025

I first met Ed Quick when he visited me at the Dole Institute. We hit it off immediately and shortly thereafter I recruited him to be a Fellow. He lead an outstanding discussion group and even arranged for the former Commissioner of the National Football League to kick off a sports series for us.

Though we had profound differences on politics we never let them interfere with our relationship. It´s unfortunate our leaders can´t do that.

Ed will be sorely missed.

Richard Meidinger

September 25, 2025

Great guy! Marveled at his political and social knowledge at our monthly medical ethics "club" meetings. He always seemed to add depth and perspective to our meetings! He is missed. RM

Barry Molineux

September 24, 2025

My sincerest sympathy to the family and friends of Ed Quick. I knew Ed as a volunteer with Trinity Interfaith Food Pantry in Lawrence, Kansas. Ed donated bread to TIFP at least once a month or more over many years. He would go to a local supermarket and buy perhaps 100 loaves of bread at a time and bring it to the pantry--during winter and during the hot days of a Kansas summer. The bread was a regular staple that the pantry offered to its many patrons-- people in need of food assistance who lived in the downtown Lawrence community. Most memorable, too, was when Ed would go through the checkout lane at the store with the large shopping cart full of bread for the pantry--as he left he would push the shopping cart of bread...and with his long arms, reach out and pick up 30 or 40 paper bags on the counter each time--very useful to the pantry as we used paper bags to fill the sacks with food for each patron. Ed was, to me and other volunteers, a quiet man, caring for people in need, a dedicated giver-- generous in his giving of bread and in his additional financial support to the pantry over many years--and always with a greeting and question about how things were going. It has been a pleasure for me to remember Ed and to share these most pleasant and respectful memories and story with many other pantry volunteers over the years--as, "Ed with the bread."

Showing 1 - 4 of 4 results