Quinn ends 49-year Eastern teaching career

Eastern Washington University's current longest teaching career - just shy of a half century - ends this week when geography department professor, Dr. Bob Quinn finishes spring quarter.

Quinn was honored June 5 in a special party at the packed Cheney Rodeo Grounds Events center. Family, friends and colleagues came from far and wide to celebrate a special career that, by his own admittance, is not entirely finished.

Quinn, 73, said he would regret not teaching anymore, but offered a caveat that he would withdraw gradually from the profession he's embraced for so long, after he arrived in Cheney in 1968.

"I'm going to teach a summer course and our (department) chairman has sort of agreed, 'You know we have these new faculty members coming in and I'm not sure how enthusiastic (they are) about doing the wetlands course, so would you come back spring quarter?'" Quinn said.

Besides wetlands, Quinn has taught a variety of classes at EWU, including weather, geography and oceanography. And part of his effectiveness as a teacher was his ability to weave stories, Quinn, a graduate of Oregon State University, said. "Lots of stories," he added amidst snickers and quiet laughter.

His evaluations from students noted such. "Dr. Quinn is really a good teacher but I wish he'd spend more time on the subject matter, rather than telling the stories."

"In the next evaluation you turn it over and he said, 'God I love his stories, and you know what, they're always usually relevant to the subject matter," Quinn said.

His strong, deep voice finally cracked when he looked at the audience. "This is amazing and I thank you all so much for coming," Quinn said.

He offered special thanks to Larry and Betty Gady, grass farmers from the Rockford area, a family who introduced him to wife, Sue. "He was the last person you would ever figure as a matchmaker," Quinn said. "But his eyes lit up," and he had someone in whom he thought Quinn may have interest.

The courtship had a rugged start, mainly because of busy schedules, so Quinn decided he needed to visit Sue at her part-time job at the Harvest Moon Restaurant in Spangle.

"I came over and I had to do something to impress her," so at the last second he found a beer bottle and grabbed a petunia from the restaurant's flower box Quinn explained. "I brought it in and that was my flower shop bouquet."

It made a good impression, he said. "What was it 22, 23 years?" he asked Sue. "You turn 73, that's what happens," he added.

Among the many who were in attendance was KREM television weatherman Tom Sherry who took classes from Quinn.

"When I'm wrong it's because of how I was instructed," Sherry chimed in. When he's right, Quinn reminded the crowd, "It is how he was instructed."

Of the many whom Quinn has left his mark was Kathy Kunz Lamarche, a former student at then Eastern Washington State College. She told the audience that "All those first-year students are either dead, mentally not able to get here or need a seeing-eye dog," and that she was one of few who might be able to speak.

Lamarche sought to only get a quick credit, but admitted, "Little did I know that Bob Quinn would take me on an exciting adventure that would last a lifetime."

Decades later, Lamarche said, "I went to Zion National Park, I thought about Quinn; North Rim of the Grand Canyon, I thought of Bob Quinn; Monument Valley, I thought of Quinn."

"He took his passion and infected every one of his students," she added.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].