John Quinn Birmingham

McGraw Hill Retiree, Avid Boater, and Die-Hard Red Sox Fan

John Quinn Birmingham, Jr., 85, of Osterville, Massachusetts, died on Friday, February 26, 2010.

He leaves behind his beloved wife of 61 years, Elizabeth [Hogan] Birmingham and children, Judith B. Harrington and her husband Wesley of Newton, Massachusetts and John Q. Birmingham, III, and his wife Lisa of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He was blessed with five grandchildren: Heather E. Harrington, Wesley E. Harrington IV, Kyle A. Harrington, Sarah M. Birmingham and Elizabeth A. Birmingham; and one great grandchild: Quinn Birmingham Harrington and he reveled in the time he spent with each of them. Mr. Birmingham was also predeceased by a twin sister, Ann B. Leonard.

John was born in Boston on December 12, 1924. The son of John Quinn Birmingham and Alice [Barry] Birmingham, he grew up and attended schools in Belmont. He was a 1945 graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. During his years at sea, he achieved Master Mariner status with a Captain’s license for steam and motor vessels of any gross tons upon any ocean.

As an avid boater, he spent his entire life involved with ships, boats or on the water. He grew up in the family business, Quinn Brothers in Boston, a stevedoring company founded by his great grandfather. A World War II veteran he served in the Merchant Marines and the US Navy where he served on troop and supply ships in the Atlantic during the war.

He continued his love of the water and owned several boats, most notably his beloved trawler yacht, “The Betso”, and cruised extensively on the east coast of the United States between Cape Cod and Key West, Florida.

For 34 years, John held various advertising sales positions with the McGraw Hill Publishing Companies business publications in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York offices.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of The Assumption Church at 76 Wianno Avenue in Osterville, Massachusetts on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Visiting hours will be from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at the Doane, Beal and Ames Funeral Home at 160 West Main Street in Hyannis, Massachusetts

In lieu of flowers, donations in honor of Mr. Birmingham may be made to the Osterville Historical Society 155 West Bay Rd. / P.O. Box 3 Osterville, MA 02655 or Massachusetts Maritime Academy Foundation 101 Academy Drive Buzzards Bay, MA 02532.