The late Bill Quinby honored at celebration of life ceremony at Coe College

CEDAR RAPIDS — Bill Quinby told his family he never wanted a funeral.

He was strongly against one. Vehement, adamant that it was never to happen.

“So I suggested to him ‘How about a celebration of life?’” said Karen Delaney, the youngest of his four children. “He was like ‘What’s that?’ I told him ‘It’s a party, only without you there.’ That’s what today is.

“I think he would have loved seeing you all here.”

Family and friends gathered Saturday afternoon at Coe College’s Sinclair Auditorium to, well, celebrate one of Cedar Rapids’ all-time finest. Quinby passed away in April at the age of 92.

He was a graduate of Franklin High School and the University of Iowa (where he was a manager for the football team), an educator and administrator in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, worked in human relations for Nissan and CMF&Z and sold real estate for Skogman. He worked as a counselor and athletics director at Coe College, all the while enjoying a football officiating career.

Quinby did high school and small college games, eventually worked his way up to the Big Ten Conference and then spent 17 years as a National Football League official. He worked the 1985 Super Bowl.

But it’s the list of things he did for his beloved community, one in which he lived his entire life, that is most important. That list is virtually endless, as The Gazette’s Mike Hlas beautifully wrote about in a 2023 story.

Helped get the newer Veterans Memorial Stadium and Prospect Meadows baseball complex built. Helped get 13 outdoor basketball courts in town constructed.

There was the creation of the Community Health Free Clinic. The renovation of the city’s public pools.

The Special Olympics, The A-R-C, the Cedar Rapids Recreation Commission, the Cedar Rapids Community Theatre, Camp Courageous, Habitat for Humanity ... those were all things Quinby supported.

“I think it really defined him. Leave things better than you found them,” son David Quinby said, listing the things his father tried to instill in he and his siblings. “He certainly did that.”

Saturday’s celebration included speeches from Cedar Rapids City Council member Dale Todd, former Iowa Governor Chet Culver, Prospect Meadows President/CEO and former Kernels general manager Jack Roeder, Coe professor and former longtime athletics director John Chandler and University of Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz. They were all cherished friends.

Legendary former Iowa radio broadcaster Ron Gonder was scheduled to speak as well but could not attend, providing remarks that were read by Quinby’s daughter Kathy.

A montage of old photos and newspaper clippings of Quinby were shown on the auditorium stage’s big screen to Frank Sinatra’s song “My Way.” Stories were shared, tears were shed, laughter had to help offset those tears.

“You’re going to hear kind of the same themes from each one of the speakers today,” said Culver, whose father, John, was a former United States House of Representatives member and the best man in Bill and Janis Quinby’s wedding. “That’s really my hope, that he will inspire us every day to try and make a difference.”

Ferentz first met Quinby when he was an assistant coach with the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and their relationship grew through Ferentz’s late father in law, Gerry Hart, who also was a former NFL official. Ferentz’s mother-in-law got a chance to visit Quinby this past December before he passed.

“One thing about Bill that we will agree is that he never met a stranger,” Ferentz said. “He had this really unique way of making you feel special right from the onset.”

Chandler told a story about how he brought Quinby down to Iowa City about 10 years ago to tour the Iowa football facility and to observe a practice. As an official, Quinby always tried to maintain the appearance of neutrality when it came to teams and schools.

But Chandler knew “deep down he was a Hawkeye.”

“Coach Ferentz said ‘Hey, why don’t you guys plan to stay after practice and have a meal with the team,’ and those things” Chandler said. “Bill looks at me and says ‘Just make sure you’re not wearing any of that Wisconsin crap.’ I’m a UW alum, so I’m a Badger. I just told him ‘Don’t worry, Bill. I won’t do that.’”

Comments: (319)-398-8258, jeff.johnson@thegazette.com

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