John W Quinn III

John W. Quinn III, age 89, died peacefully on June 5, 2016. He is remembered as a great provider, a caring husband, a great father, grandfather and great grandfather. John was born to the late John W. Quinn, Jr. and Sally Barner Quinn on February 3, 1927 in Greenwood, Mississippi, his cherished “hometown”. A brother, George Barner Quinn, and sister, Sally Ann Quinn Collins predeceased him. His mother died when he was 13 and his father remarried the late Louise M. Quinn to whom his brother Thomas M. Quinn was born.

John grew up in Greenwood and graduated from Greenwood High School in 1944, and upon graduation was awarded an athletic scholarship to the University of Mississippi. John was a quarterback, #39 on the Ole Miss football team before injury. John was a member of Kappa Alpha Order where he made lifelong friendships. He later enlisted in the U.S. Navy, was stationed stateside and trained in communications where he took the message the “The War Is Over.” After the War he returned to Greenwood and began a career with Billup’s Petroleum Company. In Greenwood he met his sweetheart and wife of 64 years Betty Lee Martin Quinn. His job and took him to Florida, where they were married and Louisiana before returning to Greenwood. In 1959 John purchased the Royal Crown Bottling Company of Jackson, TN, later started Coors of West Tennessee, owned Southern Rents, started an Edward D. Jones Company office and retired from Morgan Keegan. John was active in many civic organizations and supported youth sports. He followed his beloved Ole Miss Rebels on a daily basis and was a season ticket holder “same seats” for over 50 years.

John and Betty Lee had three children, John Pippen Quinn who passed away in 1982, William Martin Quinn and Nina Quinn Grice. Survivors include his son William M. Quinn (Hart), daughter Nina Quinn Grice (Lenard), grandchildren, William Hunter Quinn (Meredith), Heather Quinn Horton (Collins), Katy Lauren Quinn, Amanda Susan Grice, a great grandson William Ward Quinn, born on John’s 89th birthday and brother Thomas M. Quinn (Diane) of Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

Visitation will be held at First United Methodist Church of Jackson, Tennessee on Wednesday June 8, at noon with a 2 PM celebration of his life at the church, burial at Ridgecrest Cemetery to follow. Memorials may be sent to The First United Methodist Church of Jackson Tennessee, 200 South Church Street, Jackson, TN 38301.

George A. Smith and Sons North Chapel, (731) 427-5555.