Todd Delaine McQuaid

Some people leave behind a long list of titles. Todd Delaine McQuaid left behind a trail of stories. The kind of stories that lead to the realization that there simply wasn't another person quite like him. Todd was wired to live life on his own terms. Free-spirited. Non-traditional. His one-of-a-kind life came to a close on December 19, 2025, when he passed away at Good Samaritan Hospital in Vincennes, IN, at the age of 62.

Todd was born on August 17, 1963, in Olney, IL, to Jerry McQuaid and Darlene (Lloyd) McQuaid, and he grew up in the country, where the outdoors was more than scenery. It was home. Those early years were filled with shotguns, hunting, and makeshift forts, and long before he ever had responsibilities, he had a sense of freedom that never really left him. Fishing local ponds became a familiar rhythm, and hunting rabbits and quail became part of the way he and his brothers learned patience, grit, and how to read the world around them. It was simply in their blood.

School, on the other hand, was never Todd's chosen lane. He worked at the Olney IGA through high school, and when it came to school itself, he was not concerned with fitting into anyone else's system. He earned his GED, then got on with the business of living. And live, he did. He moved around, took jobs, learned things the hard way, and kept going. He drove a truck for a time, about three years, and he even managed a Winn-Dixie in Virginia for a season. He worked as an iron worker, then did plumbing for a bit. If there was a new chapter to try, Todd was willing to turn the page.

But the work that said something deeper about him was not the kind you list on a resume. His longest and most meaningful stretch was as a caregiver for his friend, Eric, following an accident. Todd saw the way others were caring for him, and it didn't sit right with him. So he stepped in and made it personal. He took it upon himself to show up day after day and make sure his friend was treated with dignity and real attention. It was not glamorous work, but it was faithful work, and it revealed something central about Todd. His circle may have been small, but if you were in it, you mattered. And he did not hesitate to prove it. In his later years, Todd worked for Southern Illinois Travel as a driver, providing Medicare and Medicaid-sponsored travel to appointments. Even there, you can see the shape of his life. Todd was always moving, always helping in practical ways, always more comfortable in motion than standing still.

When he was off the clock, you could usually find him where the air was open and the day felt wide. Fishing and hunting were his kind of reset, the sort of outdoor time that did not need much planning, just a good spot and the right company. He rode 4-wheelers and had several over the years, spending hours riding with his brothers in the Embarras bottoms. And when he was not chasing trails, he was scanning the ground for traces of the past. Todd could spend hours hunting for Indian artifacts, the kind of search that takes patience and a sharp eye. He also kept a metal detector close by, using it to look for lost treasures tucked away in fields and forgotten places, listening for that telltale signal that something was waiting to be found.

And maybe that is what Todd was really after all along: a certain kind of life. Not polished. Not planned. Just real. A life measured less by what looked impressive and more by what felt true. Open air. Open road. A few good people. The freedom to come and go, and the loyalty to show up when it mattered. That kind of life does not always fit inside the lines, but it fits inside the heart. And for those who loved him, it cannot be forgotten.

He is survived by his son, Brad McQuaid (Cincinnati, OH); by his mother, Darlene McQuaid (Robinson, IL); by his brothers, Tyrone & Teresa McQuaid (Flat Rock, IL) and Jeff & Beth McQuaid (Wauconda, IL); as well as several nieces and nephews. He married Tammy Ridgely on October 15, 2004, and she preceded him in death on June 13, 2007. He was also preceded in death by his father, Jerry McQuaid.

A graveside service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2026, at Grand Prairie Cemetery. The Goodwine Funeral Home in Robinson is assisting the family at this time.