Army Staff Sgt. Michael Brian Quinn
http://www.gulflive.com/mississippi/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news/1055067341191680.xml Family, friends remember fallen soldier
06/08/03
By MARTIN BARTLETT
OCEAN SPRINGS -- Family and friends gathered Saturday morning beneath the Live Oaks and the Spanish Moss on the shores of Biloxi Bay to remember a man -- a father, husband and soldier -- who died fighting for his country and for others.
A memorial service was held on the front lawn of the home of Dave and Mary Jensen of Ocean Springs for Staff Sgt. Michael Brian Quinn. Quinn was killed May 27 by gunman in the pro-Saddam stronghold of Fallujah, Iraq.
He is survived by his wife, Melissa Palmer Quinn; son, Timothy Michael Quinn; and mother and stepfather, Sally and Chuck Taylor of Inglis, Fla.
"He was a generous, loving and caring man. We will all miss him but I will miss him the most because he was my father. God, treat him well," Tim Quinn, 8, said.
Melissa and Tim visibly broke down at numerous points during the service, which included full military honors.
The piercing sounds of a 21-gun salute and the slow, mournful call of Taps provided by the Army overwhelmed the constant crash of the waves breaking on the sand throughout the service.
Those in attendance disbursed after sharing hugs and handshakes. Following the service, many guests reconvened for a private reception at the Front Beach home of Edsel and Mary Ruddiman, Melissa's grandparents.
There was a memorial service at Fort Carson, Colo., on June 2.
Present at the Ocean Springs service from Fort Carson, Colo., was regimental representative Lt. Paul Ramsey of Indiana and Staff Sgt. Hollie Jones of Hattiesburg, Miss.
"I knew Michael and we were neighbors. This has made it harder for me because I knew the man," Ramsey said. He will be leaving Tuesday to rejoin Eagle Company in Iraq.
Jones was present when Quinn was killed in the ambush. He accom-panied his body back to the United States. He said he was present to assist in funeral arrangements and be with the family. That included spending time with Michael's widow and mother to help them have some type of closure in Quinn's death.
"It was done right and I know Michael would have loved the service," Jones said.
Quinn's nickname was "Solo" because he was efficient, independent and an all-around great guy, Jones said. "His son, Tim, is smart just like his dad," he said.
Jones will be returning to Iraq on Monday because "I still have people over there I supervise."
Brig. Gen. Jason K. Kamiya, the commanding general at Fort Polk, La., also was in attendance.
Representatives of the 546th Maintenance Co., from Fort Polk, provided the 21-gun salute and played Taps.
Six of them, three on each side, unfolded a U.S. flag over the urn containing Quinn's cremains. They did the ritual twice. The first flag was presented to Melissa Quinn and the second flag to Sally Taylor.
Kamiya presented the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Commendation medals posthumously to Quinn. The medals were given to Tim.
The Rev. Bruno Schroeder of Ocean Springs officiated at the service.
"We know Michael has left the image of his natural body. He loved life, he loved reading, he loved his family and he loved the military. He has given up his mortal body and his physical body and now put on a spiritual body," Schroeder said.
During the service, there were several references to Quinn's love of reading.
That lifelong habit was picked up when he lived on a remote 80-acre sheep farm in a valley near Hearndon, Pa., his mother Sally Taylor said.
They moved there shortly after Quinn's sister, Jennifer, died from leukemia.
The brother and sister had birth dates just a week apart and their death dates are a week apart, she said.
Quinn was born in Providence, R.I., March 25, 1966. She said her son was a private person who never boasted of his accomplishments.
Cousin Melodie Baxter of Arlington, Va., remembered visiting the farm where the family also reared turkeys, ducks and Polish chickens.
One of Quinn's favorite snacks was fluffernutters, which is marshmallow creme and peanut butter on bread. Baxter has a son today who asks for that same snack.
Just recently, Quinn's cousins mailed a care package to him in Iraq containing gum and candy.
He did not open the package at first because the other men did not receive any packages, but when he did dig into it, he shared the treats with everyone, family members said.
In addition to his wife and son, Quinn is survived by his mother and stepfather, Sally and Chuck Taylor of Inglis, Fla.
What a work of love you have produced here. Thank you.