It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of William H. "Pop" Quinn Sr. of Austerlitz, NY on January 12th, 2026 at the age of 91 after a long illness. Born in Pottsville, PA on September 22, 1934 to his mother Hazel Mae Quinn Tunis, he was raised by his Grandmother Vienna Bedford Quinn and Grandfather Will Quinn.  In 1943, after Will's passing, Vienna moved Bill and his brother Jack to the Pratt Farm on East Hill Road in Austerlitz, the home of Vienna's sister Emma Bedford Pratt. It was at that time Bill met the man who, along with Vienna, would raise him into the honest, hardworking, family-oriented person he would grow up to be.  Vienna (Anna or "Nine" as some called her) and Carmelo Vieni would raise Bill, Jack and Carmelo's 2 children together in a blended family.  They all attended the Austerlitz one-room schoolhouse.  Bill graduated Chatham High School in 1953 and went on to serve in the United States Army from February 1954 until November 1955.

In 1956 he met and married the love of his life, Patricia Stickles. They were married for 58 years at the time of Pat's passing in 2015. Together they raised 7 children, and in 1976 bought a home and moved the family back to Austerlitz.  Sundays meant dinners at Anna and Carmelo's Austerlitz house where homemade pasta and Carlo Rossi wine were always on the table.  Sunday dinners forged lifelong friendships with the Vieni, Laspada, Hyde, Nesbitt, Tessitore, Dellgrottaglia, and Sorro's families, among others.  Those friendships are now carried on by the 2nd and 3rd generation of family members. Bill worked for 29 years as a toll collector for the NYS Thruway Authority until he retired in 1995.  He enjoyed fishing, hunting and anything outdoors in the Austerlitz hills or his annual trips and vacations in the backwoods of the Adirondacks. On one memorable trip to the Adirondacks, Bill and his best bud Al Hyde bagged a 300-pound bear in 1977.  The highlights of their trips were flying with Herb from the Herkimer Airport to the deep Adirondacks where Herb would land the plane on the isolated lake, unload their gear and say he'd fly back in 7 days to pick them up. Bill was a member of the Austerlitz Volunteer Fire Company for 46 years until November 2025 when he stepped down due to his health.  He also served as Fire Company President and served on the Board of Fire Commissioners. He instilled this same trait of community service in his children.

Bill is survived by his children Cindy Smith (David) of Austerlitz, Willian Quinn Jr. of Chatham, Scott Quinn (Pat) of Austerlitz, Chuck Quinn (Maria) of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk England, Lisa Quinn of Englewood Florida, Carl Quinn of Ghent, and Catherine Quinn Leonard of Kingston.  He is also survived by his hunting buddy Kevin Glynn of Brockton, MA, sisters-in-law Jeanette Stickles of Marlborough, MA, Margy Quinn of Ruskin, FL, and Denise Vieni of Park Ridge, NJ. He is survived by 16 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and friends. It would be impossible to describe the impact Bill had on many others as a father figure or being a positive influence in their lives over the course of his lifetime.

Bill was pre-deceased by his brothers Jack Quinn, Angelo, Paul, and Michael Tunis, Carlo Vieni and his sister Antionette Vieni Twiss.   He was also pre-deceased by daughters-in-law Peggy, Sharon, and Laurie.

Friends and family are invited to visit the family at Wenk Funeral Home, 21 Payn Avenue Chatham, NY on Saturday January 17th from 11am to 2pm.  Their will be a brief service at 2pm. Following the service, Bill will be laid to rest in the family plot in the Austerlitz Cemetery with Military Honors.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are requested to the Austerlitz Historical Society One-Room Schoolhouse Fund, PO Box 144 Austerlitz NY 12017 or to the Austerlitz Volunteer Fire Company PO Box 35,  Austerlitz NY 12017.

We extend our sincerest gratitude to Community Hospice of Columbia and Greene Counties, and most especially his Nurse Elizabeth, Chaplain Matt, and Social Worker Thomas, for their exceptional and compassionate care of our dad on his final journey to be reunited with his loved ones who were no doubt waiting for him upon his arrival.