William J. Quinn

QUINN, William Joseph, 97, Of Township Of Washington, NJ, passed away on November 12, 2022 at the New Jersey Veterans Home in Paramus, NJ. Born in Whitehaven, England, he emigrated to the United States at the age of two. He grew up in the Westchester Square neighborhood in the Bronx.

After the war, Bill married Mary Acton in 1955 and they were happily married for 52 years until Mary’s passing in 2007. Bill was a devoted father, grandfather and great grandfather. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes H.S. in the Bronx, NY six months early in order to enlist in the Navy. He received basic training at NTS Sampson, NY near Lake Seneca, Amphibious training at Little Creek, VA and Radioman school in Hollidaysburg, PA. He was assigned to a Landing Ship Medium and everyone who ever met Bill knew that he served aboard LSM 288 in the Pacific theater during World War II. He happened to be on duty, called “on the key” in the radio “shack” when LSM 288, and all the area ships received the message “THE WAR IS OVER, REPEAT, THE WAR IS OVER”.

Together Bill and Mary raised their family in the Bronx until 1965 when Bill took the advice of his brother in-law Ken Clark to “Pack up and move to Jersey”. That move brought them to Township Of Washington for almost 50 years, until Bill moved to Sunrise assisted living in Old Tappan for three years and then the NJ Veterans Home in Paramus.

Bill worked for 30 years for the NYC Transit Authority subway system retiring as a Car (subway) Inspector. He was also active in the Transport Workers Union, TWU Local 100. He rose the in union ranks to be Shop Chairman (chief shop steward) in 1966. He was a member of the Township Of Washington Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #6192. After retiring from the Transit Authority, he drove a school bus for the Bergen County Special Services school district.

Bill is survived by his sister Irene Clark of Framingham, MA; two sons William (Ingrid) and Thomas (Anita); five grandchildren Melissa Ferrarini (Michael), Ali Schama (Chris), Erin Kelley (Patrick), Michael Quinn and Meghan Quinn (Stark) as well as five great grandchildren Joey and Amelia Ferrarini, Neve and Nora Kelley, and Aria Schama. He will be missed by many nieces and nephews, friends and neighbors.

The family will receive guests at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Rd., Westwood, NJ on Tuesday, November 15th from 2-4 & 7-9PM. A Mass celebrating William’s life and faith will be held at St. Andrew R.C. Church on Wednesday, November 16th at 10:30AM with interment at Westwood Cemetery in Westwood, NJ to follow. Charitable Donations can be made to Zion Lutheran Early Childhood Center, 61 First Ave, Westwood, NJ 07675 Or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, stjude.org/memorial.