Leo James Quinn

“It was neither possible nor necessary to educate people who never questioned anything.”

- Joseph Heller, Catch-22

Leo Quinn was eminently educable.

Over nearly eighty-four years of life, Leo observed, studied, questioned, and explored all manner of things. He had a sharp mind and a sharp wit, enjoying playing devil’s advocate or employing logical fallacies to stir up a debate and laugh at the resultant discontent. But even stirring up trouble took a back seat to supporting the CSO and even more devoutly, Chicago sports teams. He got to see the Bears, the Bulls, the Hawks, and the Cubs through many highs and lows but he was a fan until the end.

With the help of his brother, Bill, he played the lottery almost as long. It’s a bit of a chicken and the egg conundrum asking if his fascination with lottery winnings strategies came from his interest in mathematics or if daydreams of tax consequences, spending priorities, and charity allotments inspired more advanced numerical studies, but either way, his focus on the numbers kept him entertained and questioning. “One day,” he’d say, “one day, I’m gonna win.”

It was a touch of good-natured optimism that helped balance his more mischievous moments. It’s trite, but not untrue, to say that he was a character. Leo had a lot of personality that carried him through life and left a smile on more faces than he realized. He kept up a fighting spirit, having been proactive about his health so well that he was able to live independently until May 2025. He was blessed in his last year to live with other veterans and receive excellent care from a host of healthcare professionals at the VA while being much closer to Bill.

A short ceremony to commemorate Leo’s interment will be held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery (20953 W Hoff Rd, Elwood, IL) on Tuesday, June 30th at 9:30 a.m.