James Edward Quinn

James E. Quinn, Commander, U.S. Navy ret., 87, Chapel Hill, NC, passed away on October 7, 2021 at his home after a brief but sudden illness.

James retired from the U.S. Navy after a distinguished career as a Commander (Surface Warfare Specialist and Marine Transportation Subspecialist).  He served on combatants (destroyer escorts, destroyers, and guided missile destroyers) in weapons, operations and executive billets.  Assignments ashore included operations instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy, Vietnamese language training at the Defense Language Institute, Senior Riverine Warfare adviser to the South Vietnamese Navy, and fleet operations assignments with the Military Sealift Command.  His awards and decorations included the Bronze Star Medal, and South Vietnamese Riverine Warfare Meritorious Unit Citation for Gallantry.

James was born in St. Augustine FL in February 1934.  He graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy in St. Augustine FL, and later graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a B.S. in Business Management and earned his M.S. in Management from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School.  He also graduated from the U.S. Naval War College (Command & Staff).  Following his retirement from the Navy, he served for twenty years in industry as an Operations Specialist on numerous contracts with the Departments of Defense and Energy.  As an independent contractor, he supported the National Academy of Sciences in two investigations regarding the health impacts on veterans of Shipboard Hazard and Defense.

He and his wife of 65 years, Marie (Bondanza) (B.A., Clark University) were married in 1956 and have lived in Chapel Hill, NC since 2011.  They have three children:  Mary Ann Quinn-Allen (Darrell Allen), James E. Quinn Jr. (Tina Wright) and Michael J. Quinn (Jackie Egyud), six grandchildren:  Sarah Steinberg, Anna Quinn, Matthew Quinn, Ryan Quinn, Meredith Allen, and Judith Quinn, and four great-grandchildren:  Gavin Quinn, Jack Steinberg, Quinn Steinberg, and Cole Steinberg.

He loved family time most with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.  In his later years he enjoyed reading about history, sitting on his back porch with Marie to watch and feed the birds that frequented their bird houses, and catching up on current events on his computer.  He was patient and humble, a true “gentleman, and gentle man”.  He will be greatly missed by those who loved and knew him.

James was a Knight of Columbus, and dedicated member of St. Agnes Church in Rockville, MD, and the Holy Infant Parish in NC.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his memory to the Holy Infant Catholic Church, 5000 Southpark Dr., Durham NC 27713.  A Memorial Mass will be planned for a future date.