Sidney Lanier O'Quinn

Sidney was born in Folkston, Georgia on 28 September 1941, to Bennie Carlton O'Quinn (1919-1999) & Susie Lou Crews (aka Susie Reagin) (1918-2000).

Sidney's Paternal Grandparents are the late Silas A. O'Quinn & Catherine "Katie" Drury. Sidney's Maternal Grandparents are the late Hardy H. Crews & Martha M. Thomas.

Sidney married Peggy Ann Harris (1946-1966) on 5 August 1961.They had one child, Pamela Ann O'Quinn (1962).

Sidney married Simmie Bell Wilkerson (1947-1992) on October 1966.They had one child, Mark Daniel O'Quinn (1980).

Sidney died Tuesday, 12 August 2025 in Brunswick, Georgia. Interment will be private, at a later date, in Mcclenny, Florida. In keeping with Sidney's wishes, there will be no formal ceremony.

Sidney is survived by his fiance, Ms. Sue Range of Brunswick, Georgia; a daughter, Pamela Reinitz (Louis) of Atlanta, Georgia; a son, Mark O'Quinn of Brunswick, Georgia; 2 grandchildren, Jonathan & Olivia; 3 great-grandchildren, Joshua, Alex, & Hunter. Sidney was preceded in death by his wife of 26 years Simmie Bell; and a grandson, Justin Selman (1982-2007).

Sidney was many things in his life: father, son, pilot, civil engineer, truck driver, musician. He had a life long love of airplanes and guitar music!

He was a deeply private person, who did not believe in complaining or bemoaning life's challenges.

He once succinctly summed up his philosophy, stating that "There is no sense crying when you are in the middle of a crisis, as you need to put your energy towards dealing with the crisis, and there is no sense in crying when the crisis is at an end, as the crisis has past". He lived by that ideal.

Sidney was an excellent caregiver to his wife Simmie Bell, who fought a ten-year battle with cancer before succumbing to the illness in 1992. Then in 2000 he showed the same tender care to his mother Susie Reagin, during the last weeks of her life when she depended almost solely upon his loving care.

Sidney's love of airplanes began at the tender age of about 4 years old when he and another small child regularly tussled over a ride-on toy airplane at a daycare while his mother worked at the Brunswick Cigar Factory in the 1940's.

Sidney not only shared a name with the famous poet, Sidney Lanier, but he also worked on the crew that built the original Sidney Lanier Bridge in Brunswick, Georgia, named for the poet.

Though Sidney only completed the 10th grade in high school (Folkston, Georgia) he became a Civil Engineer, managing project crews that often included college educated subordinate workers. Sidney moved around the southern US as a Civil Engineer, eventually landing in Morehead City, NC where he and his wife, Simmie, were baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

As a young man, Sidney played guitar and sang in a band with friends and they even recorded, or as was said back then "cut" a record! Sidney actually met both of his wives while performing in bands!

Sidney had a smile and a ready laugh and was generally willing to lend a hand. He did not complain at life's trials, he simply carried-on.

We imagine Sidney, our father, grandfather, great-grandfather, smiling and playful on the other side of the veil, thrilled to be visiting and laughing with family who have passed on before him!