Obituary | Lawrence Eugene Quinn, Sr. | Bradshaw & Range Funeral Home PC (2024)

The life of Lawrence Eugene Quinn ran its course to the finish line on Monday, October 4, 2021. His first alarm was July 22, 1949 to Willard Quinn and Beulah Mae (Kennedy) Quinn at Victory Memorial Hospital Waukegan, Illinois. His first residence was 1239 Greenfield Ave. in Waukegan, Illinois.

Lawrence attended Waukegan Elementary School District 61 Lyon School into the 6^th grade, before transferring to Whittier School. He then attended Daniel Webster Junior High School. Lawrence was promoted to Waukegan Township High School, West Campus, where he participated in cross-country, track & field and the freshmen social committee. He transferred to, and, graduated from Zion-Benton Township High School where he participated in track & field.

Lawrence studied at: Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Roosevelt University (Advanced Taxes), College of Lake County, St. Therese Hospital, Victory Memorial Hospital for Emergency Medical Technician - Ambulance/Basic and Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic, and United States Department of Labor Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training (Journeyman Fire Fighter). Additional education included The Illinois State Fire Marshal Division of Personnel Standards and Education, Illinois Department of Transportation, The Illinois Fire Service Institute, University of Illinois (Management, Fire/Arson Investigation), and the United States Fire Academy.

Lawrence attended church in the communities he resided:

• First Baptist Church - Rev. E.J. Cole Pastor North Chicago, Illinois
• Gideon Missionary Baptist Church - the late Rev. H. J. Cook Pastor Waukegan, Illinois
• Zion Missionary Baptist Church - Rev. B. J. Gaston Pastor Zion, Illinois
• Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church/Shiloh Baptist Church of Waukegan - the late Rev. J. N. Lightfoot Pastor/the late Rev. Walstone E. Francis Pastor/Pastor Charles J. Ivy

He served Shiloh as a member of the Laymen, Men’s Ministry, Soup Kitchen, Health Unit, Food Pantry, Sunday School Teacher (following The Standard Leadership Curriculum of the Sunday School Publishing Board, National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc.), Vacation Bible School, Security, Fire Marshal, Culinary Committee and occasional stand-in Usher.

As a youth, Lawrence ran errands, dug gardens, cut grass and delivered newspapers for Porett Brothers. He had summer employment at Downey V.A. for $1.25/hour for two summers. He was employed part-time at the Waukegan Elks Club (located at Grand Ave. and Sheridan Road), Burger King, and during his senior year of high school completed a work-study at Abbott Laboratory. Other employment included: Abbott Laboratory, Walgreens, Big Gurnee Discount, Johnson Motors, H&R Block (as a Tax Preparer and Office Manager), Waukegan Fire Department Firefighter/Paramedic, Manager at Dominick’s Finer Foods, and Murray’s/CSK Discount Auto Parts.

Lawrence was proud to have been a Waukegan Assistant Varsity Girls High School Track Coach. He was affiliated with: Andrew Cooke Magnet School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Waukegan High School Parent Teacher Organization, Waukegan Booster Club, Volunteer Swimming Instructor for the Community Action Project (utilizing the U.S. Navy Recruit Pool at Great Lakes), Co-Manager of Rocks Inn Women’s Softball Team, Waukegan Umpires Association, Illinois Track & Cross Country Coaches Association, U.S.A. Track & Field, Track & Field U.S.A., The Athletic Congress, Independent Marine and Machinist Association, International Association of Fire Fighters Local 473, Illinois Professional Fire Fighters Association, United Food Commercial Workers 881/1540, International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (serving in the role of Historian for 13 years, as well as the recruitment committee), and State Representative Board Member. He created the Memorial Table Symbols, the Resolution for Line of Duty Deaths, and the design for the Medal of Honor. He was actively involved with the Waukegan Historical Society, Hall of Flame (in Phoenix, AZ), Shomberg Center for Research in Black Culture New York City Library, and Life Member status with NAACP , Operation P.U.S.H./Rainbow P.U.S.H. Coalition and Prentice Hall Tax Service. Lawrence Quinn is published in the 1^st Edition of Who’s Who U.S.A. Track & Field. In a newspaper article from the News-Sun, dated August 23, 1984 titled, Quinn: Waukegan’s fastest fireman, “ Larry Quinn is the fastest fireman in Waukegan, a recently conducted physical fitness test has established Quinn, 33, ran 1.5 miles in 8 minutes and 43 seconds-well under the 12 minute standard set for firemen under age 36. Eighty-two firemen, took the seven part test, called an ‘assessment’ “Quinn was actually 35 years of age not 33.” A couple of honors that Quinn was proud of included: years of service awards from the State of Illinois, Department of Public Health, Emergency Medical Services-Paramedic, 10 and 15 Years. Plus the South Lake County EMS-System of Highland Park Hospital, 15 Years of Paramedic Services. Lawrence Quinn was on the last eligibility list that did not require a firefighter to become a certified paramedic, he became one to be a further asset to the community.

In 1985, in response to a lawsuit, the Chicago Fire Department initiated women’s only testing to formulate an eligibility list to hire women. The late Rev. Willie T. Barrow, of Operation P.U.S.H., requested Quinn’s assistance with study tables, workshops, and pre-test physical training. One of the women from that initial cohort became the 1^st female to be Fire Commissioner in 2021. Lawrence was the lone black firefighter in Illinois to offer oral and written testimony at hearings conducted in Springfield and Chicago, for a Senate Bill sponsored by Senator Walter Dudycz (R-Chicago) in 1995, to repeal affirmative action programs. After the hearing results were announced, the bill was not called for a vote.

Lawrence was a Founding Sponsor of the Washington D.C. Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Project, National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington D.C.; sponsor of Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, National D-day Memorial Foundation, Commemorative Air Force Red Tail Squadron, Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum, Hall of Flame (in Phoenix, AZ), the U.S. Marine Corps. Heritage Foundation, National Foundation of the American Sailor, National Museum of the U.S. Army and U.S. Olympic Committee.

Fire uniforms were donated to the African American Firefighter Museum Los Angeles, CA, Hall of Flame in Phoenix, AZ, DuSable Museum in Chicago, IL, and the Waukegan Historical Society.

He enjoyed attending events with: Chicago White Sox (since 1958), Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, University of Illinois Chicago Men’s Basketball, Northwestern football and basketball (Men’s & Women’s), theater, and the Lyric Opera. His passion was running 5 & 10K’s from 1976 to 2000, following schedules of the Badgerland Striders and the Chicago Area Runners Association. He played on Beauchamps Ghetto traveling softball team, Johnson Motors, Anchor Lounge and the Waukegan Fire Department basketball teams. He was an avid cook and gardener, once having grown head lettuce on the side of a house between sidewalk and house foundation that went from front to back (on Lincoln St.) from seed.

Lawrence Quinn is survived by son, Lawrence Eugene Quinn Jr. and his daughter Corliss Faith (Spencer) Ivy and; 10 grandchildren: Nickea (Justin) Nance, De’Vonna (De Andre) Whitmore, De’Von (Tasia) Temple, Devon Quinn, Naryah Quinn, Sandria Crittendon, Laurence Crittendon, Q’Nesha Randle-Quinn, TaLeca Quinn, Elizabeth Grace (“Bear”) Ivy; 6 great-grandchildren: Isaiah Nance, Jaxon Nance, Cameron Whitmore, Jordan Whitmore, Aubrielle Crittendon, & Amaiya Quinn; Sisters: Helen Funderburg, Connie Jones, Pamela Quinn, Penny Brace, Amy McCullough and Miriam Quinn; Brothers Anthony (Patricia) Quinn, Donald Quinn and Phillip (Debbie) Jackson, along with a host of nieces and nephews; and Special Friend and Former Wife, Jean Quinn. He was preceded in death by parents, son - Logan O. Quinn, sister - Bonnie Winfrey, brothers Albert Winfrey and Gary Quinn.

A Celebration of His Life Service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, October 16, 2021 at the Shiloh Baptist Church of Waukegan, 800 S. Genesee St., Waukegan, IL. Pastor Charles J. Ivy, Officiating. Interment will be at Highland Memorial Park, Libertyville, IL. Visitation will begin at 10:00 A.M. A Visitation will be held on Friday, October 15, 2021 from 4:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. at the Bradshaw & Range Funeral Home.

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