[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 176 (Wednesday, November 19, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S10646]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO BILL QUINBY

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, there are few more accomplished 
citizens of Iowa than Bill--William--Quinby. I use the word ``citizen'' 
on purpose because along with his wife Janice, Bill's life continues to 
be a model of ideal citizenship and embodies what it means to be an 
Iowan.
  Bill has spent his life living by a simple mantra: work hard and give 
back. In college at the University of Iowa, Bill was a two-time letter 
winner in baseball as an athlete and again in football as a team 
manager. He used these experiences to help his community, and for 11 
years he served as an educator in the Cedar Rapids School District in 
various positions as an athletic director, teacher, and principal. 
After a stint in the private sector, he later served as the director of 
career counseling and as the athletics director at Coe College, one of 
Iowa's finest small colleges. Along with these years of service to his 
community, Bill also served for years as a high school, college, and 
professional football official, serving in such big games as the Rose 
Bowl, Orange Bowl, and Super Bowl XIX.
  Yet despite this impressive career, I know that Bill would tell you 
that he is just as proud, if not more so, of his combined 150 years of 
service on boards and commissions of various charitable organizations 
in his community. Some of these groups include the Hawkeye Area Boy 
Scouts, the Cedar Rapids Jaycees, the Cedar Rapids Community Theater, 
Habitat for Humanity, the Cedar Rapids Community Free Clinic, and the 
Cedar Rapids Board of Ethics in Government.
  I would be remiss if I did not emphasize the large amount of time 
that Bill has put into a cause that is also close to my heart. As a 
volunteer for the Special Olympics, Bill has been fighting for equality 
for persons with disabilities. While the legislative work in Washington 
can help create a more equal legal framework, the work of volunteers 
like Bill is what allows equality to emerge in practice.
  To honor these services to the community, Bill was recently awarded 
the University of Iowa's Lifetime Achievement award. Congratulations, 
Bill. And let me extend to you heartfelt thanks for your inspiration 
and work to better eastern Iowa.
  I ask to have an article about Bill from the August 27, 2008, Cedar 
Rapids Gazette printed in the Record.
  The material follows.

                    Quinby Gives Lifetime of Service

             [From the Cedar Rapids Gazette, Aug. 27, 2008]

       Cedar Rapids.--Bill Quinby once punched in the stomach a 
     Minnesota football fan who was pestering Iowa Coach Forest 
     Evashevski, thus earning the nickname ``Punchy'' from the 
     appreciative head coach.
       But that's not why he'll receive a lifetime achievement 
     award from the University of Iowa on Saturday when the 
     Hawkeyes host Maine.
       Quinby, 76, will be honored for his lifetime of community 
     service in Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area. That punch 
     during a Big Ten game at Minnesota in 1952 is just one of the 
     many stories he has from a lifetime of memories as an 
     educator, Big Ten and NFL referee, philanthropist, public 
     servant, and all-around good guy.
       Quinby will be saluted Saturday along with retired Air 
     Force Gen. Donald J. Kutyna, who had a distinguished military 
     career. Quinby marvels at the company he's in: A working-
     class kid from Cedar Rapids and a decorated U.S. general.
       ``Let's put it this way,'' he said Wednesday. ``I'm humbled 
     as hell. And honored.''
       Quinby's many friends and admirers will tell you it's a 
     well-deserved award and has little to do with his work as a 
     Big Ten football official for 13 years or his service as an 
     NFL referee for 17 years. Rather, it's a tribute to all the 
     help he's given others.
       He's served on the board of directors for the Hawkeye Area 
     Boy Scouts, Cedar Rapids Jaycees, Cedar Rapids Community 
     Theatre, Cedar Rapids Kids League Baseball, Cedar Rapids 
     Sports Club, Cedar Rapids Professional Baseball Club, 
     Cerebral Palsy Association, Arc of Eastern Iowa, Cedar Rapids 
     Kernels Foundation, Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, Camp Courageous, 
     Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, National Shrine 
     Athletic Committee, and the Linn Area Credit Union. He's 
     served on the Regional Planning Commission, the Cedar Rapids 
     Recreation Commission, the Five Seasons Facility Commission, 
     the Civil Service Commission, and the Cedar Rapids Board of 
     Ethics in Government.
       ``I always felt it was best to help people who possibly 
     needed help,'' he said. ``I mean, look at how lucky I've 
     been. I truly feel very good about being born here, raised 
     here and I've lived here all my life. Look how good it's been 
     for me.''
       Quinby and his wife, Janis, have been married for 53 years. 
     They have four children and nine grandchildren, although one 
     of their children, Billy, died tragically in a traffic 
     accident as a young man.
       Quinby was an accomplished athlete at Franklin High School 
     in Cedar Rapids, but three knee operations prevented him from 
     playing football at Iowa. He received two varsity letters in 
     baseball with the Hawkeyes and got two varsity letters in 
     football as the team's manager, which is why he was at 
     Evashevski's side when that unruly Minnesota fan left his 
     seat behind the UI bench and confronted Evy, claiming players 
     were obstructing his view of the field.
       Quinby, who did a little boxing in college, rushed to 
     Evashevski's side and slugged the guy a couple of times in 
     the stomach, making him double over in pain. ``Thanks,'' 
     Evashevski said after the game.
       ``See how lucky I've been to be around?'' Quinby said with 
     a smile. ``For a guy that grew up at Daniels Park and was 
     nothing at Iowa, I feel very lucky.''

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