John Quimby

John Leroy Quimby, age 74, passed away on December 28 due to glioblastoma cancer. The eldest of 5 children born to Wilbur Quimby and Mary Quimby (Fuchs) in Frederic WI, on May 6, 1946, John honed his good-natured personality and storytelling aptitude on his family farm in Clear Lake WI.
Earning back-to-back scholarships to attend the University of Wisconsin Farm & Industry Short Course and graduating in 1966, John met his two other loves: Bucky Badger and Martha “Marty” Edwards of Union Grove WI. John and his city bride returned to the family farm. In 1979, they moved to Cottage Grove WI, where John found farming-related work with Hanley Implement in Sun Prairie. John shortly thereafter began a 28-year career working for the Department of Agronomy, UW Research Farm in Arlington and spent many years sharing his farming passion with like-minded co-workers, professors, and visitors. He retired in 2008.
A Little League coach and board member, John tried to use his farmer demeanor in an attempt to impart his jack-of-all-trades wisdom on cars, home repair, and farming on his two sons. When that was unsuccessful, Bucky Badger and football season tickets fortunately bridged that insurmountable gap. Never a satisfied Badger fan, John questioned the 3 points in a 56-3 win. More pride and joy arrived with grandchildren Ethan, Damon, and Cameron. He enjoyed hauling the boys in a wagon behind his tractor, going hunting, attending Badger games, and watching them play sports.
The defacto “Mayor of Marick Court” mowed his dandelion and weed-free lawn religiously two times a week, gave a neighborly hand to everyone by blowing snow or fixing something broken, and co-hosted with Marty memorable holiday parties for many years. John was your man! The family has witnessed John’s kindness repaid numerous times with assistance this past year.
Dealing with his diagnosis in his quiet and unassuming way, John coined a new phrase, “Life is life”. He shrugged off never winning at Scrabble and his inability to describe a Catch Phrase clue. Life is indeed life, Dad, and it is emptier without your spirit.
John is survived by his wife of 53 years, Marty (Edwards) Quimby of Sun Prairie WI; 2 sons, Scott (Jenifer Behling) Quimby of Waterloo WI and Michael Quimby of Sun Prairie WI; 4 siblings, Betty Porter of Green Bay WI, Patty Eller of Chico CA, Jim (Pak Jang Su “Suki”) Quimby of Valdosta GA, and Jody (Ralph) Karlen of Mahtomedi MN; 3 grandchildren, Ethan (Brittany Flores) Quimby of Deerfield WI, Damon (Stephanie Schimmel) Quimby of Waterloo WI, and Cameron Quimby of Waterloo, WI; many nieces and nephews from around the country; a great granddaughter who lit up his eyes, Faye Marie Quimby; and his beloved “boy” Joey the cat. A celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The family suggests memorials can be made to Agrace HospiceCare Inc. in John’s name.