Emily Esteen Quinn

85

On May 11, 2012, Emily Esteen Adams Quinn, age 85, passed from this life into life glorious and eternal. Mrs. Quinn died at St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson, Mississippi. Visitation will be held on Sunday afternoon, May 13, 2012, 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Alta Woods Baptist Church, 168 Colonial Drive, Jackson, MS. Additional visitation will be held on Monday, May 14 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Alta Woods Baptist Church with the funeral service following at 12 noon. Burial will follow at Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home of Ridgeland is handling the arrangements.

Mrs. Quinn was born in McComb, MS on January 4, 1927, to the late Charles Augustus and Myrtis Ballard Adams. She was raised in Norfield, MS, south of Bogue Chitto. While growing up, Esteen enjoyed spending her summers in Canton, MS with her cousin Evelyn Durham Guess. At Bogue Chitto High School, Esteen graduated valedictorian and was also awarded “Wittiest Girl” by her classmates. Esteen, though wanting to attend college, was unable to complete this endeavor until adulthood. However, as an adult, Esteen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Belhaven College and a Masters degree in Family Counseling from Mississippi College. God’s providence, being good as it is, led Esteen to meet Harry Clayton Quinn, Jr., a recently returned veteran from WWII, at a local high school basketball game. Intrigued by the soldier in uniform, Esteen—with the help of Harry’s younger brother—invited him to the adjacent empty seat. 66 years later, the rest of the story is history. Esteen Adams married Harry Quinn on November 18, 1945. The young couple lived initially in Pascagoula, MS while Harry worked at Ingles Shipyard. However, the couple would later settle in Jackson, MS. During the early years of marriage, Esteen and Harry had two children, Beverly Quinn Weeks and Harry Clayton “Clay” Quinn, III. Beverly and Clay were two of the greatest joys of her life.

Esteen’s early employments included Reid McGee Mortgage Company in Jackson, MS and serving as the church secretary at Daniel Memorial Baptist Church in Jackson, MS. Her most beloved job was serving as the Administrative Assistant to four different Executive Directors of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. This job helped her take part in the calling she felt upon her life to serve her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ and spread the Gospel of Christ. Esteen loved the Lord Jesus Christ all her life with all her heart. She always sought His will in everything she did. On one occasion Esteen shared that if she had not met her husband, Harry, she intended on becoming a missionary. Though working full time, she was able to earn two degrees, volunteer at Contact Crisis Hotline, teach Sunday school for 65 years, and minister to all that came her way. One of the greatest fulfilling joys of her life was teaching English as a second language to her precious Chinese friends. Her ultimate purpose of teaching ESL was to share the gospel of Christ with these friends. Esteen was a member of Alta Woods Baptist Church in Jackson, MS for 48 years. It is impossible to estimate the number of lives that were touched, burdens shared, and prayers offered for family and friends, always calling each by name as she prayed.

One of her greatest delights in life was traveling with her family. Together with her husband, she visited 48 states and numerous countries. Highlights included Europe, the Holy Land, and especially the beaches of Normandy. However, her heart lived in the mountains of Yellowstone National Park where she and her husband worked during retirement for over 10 years.

Mrs. Quinn is survived by her husband of 66 years, Harry Clayton Quinn, Jr.; her daughter, Beverly Quinn Weeks and husband Steve Weeks of Ridgeland, MS; her son, Harry Clayton Quinn, III and wife, Annette Quinn of Raymond, MS; and her three grandsons, Dr. Stephen Weeks, Dr. Christopher Weeks, and Dr. Andrew Weeks, all of Jackson, MS. She is also survived by her brother Jerry Scott and wife Sue Scott of Florence, MS and their daughters Lorrie Scott Alexander of Flowood, MS and Emily Scott Tatum of Florence, MS. Other family members who survive include her step sister, Mildred Miller of Tijeras, NM, dear first cousin Evelyn Durham Guess of Madison, MS, and several great nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Quinn is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Myrtis Adams, her granddaughter Tiffany Marie Quinn, life-long friends Margie Guess, Dot Owens, and a host of others with whom she is now reunited.

Dr. Frank H. Thomas, Jr., her pastor at Alta Woods Baptist Church, and Dr. Charles Myers, former pastor at Alta Woods Baptist Church will be officiating her funeral service. Graveside service will be held at Parkway Memorial Cemetery following the funeral service. Music at the service will be arranged by Mrs. Eva Hart of Jackson. Pallbearers include her three beloved grandsons, Stephen Weeks, Christopher Weeks, and Andrew Weeks. Also serving as pallbearers will be her son-in-law, Steve Weeks, and dear family friends Jack Riseden and Lifei Ji.

The family wishes to express their deepest appreciation to Cynthia Enochs for loving and sharing many nights with Mrs. Quinn during these last days, and to Essie Johnson for her gracious and tender care shown to Mrs. Quinn during her hospitalization. The family also wishes to thank the staff of St. Dominic’s 5th floor Oncology wing and the host of doctors attending to her care. Sincere and heartfelt appreciation goes to Dr. Bobby Graham and Dr. Reid Cotten for their loving, gentle, and superlative medical care.

Memorials may be made in the form of flowers for the funeral service or to Alta Woods Baptist Church, 168 Colonial Drive, Jackson, MS 39204 or to Jackson Preparatory School, 3100 Lakeland Drive, Jackson MS 39232, www.jacksonprep.net.

To close, Esteen would want you to remember and believe 1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.”