Joseph Quinlan Obituary

Joseph A. Quinlan, Sr.

CORNING - Joseph A. Quinlan, Sr., 91, native son of Allegany and long-time Olean resident, passed away Wednesday (Aug. 7, 2024) in Painted Post.

He was born on Nov. 28, 1932, to Vincent L. and Irene (McGavisk) Quinlan. Joe was born and raised in Allegany and lived in the Quinlan homestead until the family moved to Olean in 1984.

He attended St. Bonaventure School, graduated from Allegany Central School in 1950 and was an alumnus of St. Bonaventure University, Class of 1954, where he also pursued graduate studies in Education and where he earned a Wall Street Journal Fellowship in Journalism.

Upon graduation, Joe was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and later promoted to First Lieutenant. An Army veteran, Joe served as a Forward Observer with the 22nd Regimental Combat, 44th Field Artillery Division, during the Korean Conflict and was also posted at Fort Sill, Okla., Fort Hamilton and the Brooklyn Army Terminal.

On Dec. 28, 1957, Joe married the love of his life, the former Teresa Ann Lennon, at St. Mary of the Angels Church in Olean. Joe and Tessie raised their three children at 24 E. Main St., where friends and family gathered often to celebrate milestones and friendships before they moved to Olean to live in the home of Joe's Aunt Mayme.

A career teacher, Joe taught high school English in the Portville Central School District, Oswayo Valley (Pa.) School District and Olean High School for nearly 35 years. Joe also worked with Olean High students as the advisor to the Tel-O-Scope, the Olean High student newspaper. He also coached the Huskies debate team and was the advisor for the Class of 1965 for their entire high school career, an unusual occurrence in secondary education, which he long considered an honor. Joe taught at Olean High for more than 30 years and brought both structure and knowledge to the classroom. He was highly regarded by both his fellow teachers and students, especially those assigned to study hall in Room 109.

Joe was a tireless advocate of his Roman Catholic faith. Whether it was at his childhood parish of St. Bonaventure in Allegany or at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Joe and Tessie were active members of the parish and worked as a team when they volunteered at the many events or provided assistance to others along their faith journey, always in an understated way. An active member of the Walsh Foundation, Joe invested time and treasure in the advancement of Catholic Education at Archbishop Walsh High School long after their children's graduations, which earned Joe and Tessie recognition as the Walsh Foundation's Persons of the Year.

Joe also worked with the Cattaraugus County Youth Corps at numerous locations around the county and the Seneca Nation of Indians. He also worked as a retail associate at Gavin and McCarthy, the men's haberdashery in Olean.

Joe was also active in many community organizations. He served as a two-term Trustee in the Village of Allegany and held membership in the St. Bonaventure University National Alumni Board, Charles Harbel Post No. 892, American Legion, the Olean Exchange Club, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks and was, until his passing, the longest serving active member of the Allegany Council, No. 1220, Knights of Columbus.

Even though he lived in the Allegany/Olean area for most of his life, Joe made friends wherever he went in life. Todd Luckner, Richard "Dick" Kesey, Dennis Robinson and Dick Kniffin became his newfound friends at Brookdale Senior Living in Painted Post.

Joe embraced Zoom during the pandemic to become an active participant in the monthly meetings of the Olean High Class of 1965 as well as the Corning Rosary group, whose prayer warriors always looked to hear Joe's signature sign-off "night-night" for each evening's prayers.

Joe was a devoted husband to his late wife, Tessie, who died in 2012, and father and grandfather. He leaves his children, Mary Margaret (Jonathan) Quinlan Hoyle, Christopher Gerard (Elizabeth Steinhafel) Quinlan and Joseph A. (Noreen McGowan) Quinlan Jr., and six grandchildren, Tess Marie Quinlan, Mary Anneliese Quinlan, Catherine Fogarty Quinlan, Madeleine Frances Quinlan, Maria Teresa Quinlan and Nora Irene "Mikey" Hoyle. Joe is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends whom he held dear.

In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Mary Katherine Quinlan Crockett, Eileen Anne Quinlan Hanley and Margaret Elizabeth Quinlan, and a brother, Vincent L. Quinlan Jr.

Family will receive friends from 3-7 p.m. Thursday (Aug. 15, 2024) at the Guenther Funeral Home, Inc., 1303 E. State St., Olean. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday (Aug. 16, 2024) at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Olean. Burial to follow in St. Bonaventure Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, Franciscan Sisters of Allegany or the Allegany Public Library.