Family Celebrates Life Of Shooting Victim
August 5, 1999
DUNWOODY--Edward Quinn was "solid" like the coal from the coal-mining city in Pennsylvania where he was born.
"He created warmth for anyone who gathered around him," said his longtime friend and UPS business associate, John Mascia, in his remarks to the congregation at the funeral Mass celebrated for Mr. Quinn on Aug. 3 at All Saints Church, Dunwoody.
Mascia joined hundreds of worshippers at All Saints to celebrate the legacy of Edward G. Quinn, whose life ended July 29 during Mark O. Barton's violent rampage in the Buckhead financial district. Mr. Quinn had stopped briefly that afternoon at the All-Tech Investment Group, where Barton killed five people and wounded four others.
Mr. Quinn and his wife, Marie, have been "faithful parishioners" at All Saints since 1986, according to staff member Patty Wolf.
"Everyone has said what a wonderful family they are, that they're very close-knit and very spiritual."
Msgr. R. Donald Kiernan, pastor, was the main celebrant. He was assisted by Father Liam Coyne, parochial vicar at All Saints, and Deacon Ray Egan.
Close family members gathered near the entrance of the church as Msgr. Kiernan blessed the body of Mr. Quinn who, he said, was baptized in Christ now to be reunited with him in the resurrection.
Mr. Quinn's best friend, George Kuhn, his brother-in-law, Samuel Agolino Jr. and his four brothers, Gerald, Joseph, Jack and Francis, surrounded the casket as they and family members processed down the church's main aisle to the hymn, "Amazing Grace."
A nephew, Matthew Davis, delivered the first reading from Isaiah 25, proclaiming that the "Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces ... let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!"
Family friend James Anderson read from the Acts of the Apostles, his voice quivering as he read, "To (God) all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name."
Deacon Egan proclaimed the Gospel of John 11: 21-27 in which Martha professes her faith that Jesus is indeed the Messiah and that her brother Lazarus will come to life again in the resurrection.
During his homily, Msgr. Kiernan acknowledged "the grief and bewilderment" surrounding Mr. Quinn's death.
"We're drawn to this place by circumstances that have no rhyme or reason," he said. "The heaviness is compounded with a sense of confusion and, like St. Thomas, we wonder: Has God forgotten how to be gracious?"
Msgr. Kiernan challenged those gathered to find "honesty within ourselves" when approaching this tragedy.
"(Don't) allow this tragedy to become larger than life ... to darken the sun."
He reminded the congregation, "The fact of thorns does not cancel out the fact of roses ... Life, my good people, is both good and bad, ugly and beautiful, tragic and triumphant."
People have searched out the meaning of such a tragedy. But even the sages and saints throughout time don't have the answer, Msgr. Kiernan said.
"What we need is not to understand (tragedy) but to accept it."
There is no "solution for the hurt in our hearts," he said.
"But if the hurt is to be handled creatively, it will be done with spiritual tools."
Money, power and other human inventions become impotent in the face of tragedy, he said.
"We live to learn to love and laugh again and the thing that enables us to do this is faith in God."
Msgr. Kiernan reminded Mr. Quinn's family and friends of his care for others and love of golf.
"Ed would not want sadness, but would much more want to place a golf club in the hand of everyone here ... (Ed's) in the hand of God ... Don't be sad, have the heart to live."
He offered one of the "spiritual tools" needed to move beyond Mr. Quinn's death.
"The vital function of a mature faith holds on to God in the dark until one can walk back into the sunlight."
Nicole Watson, a friend of the family, read the intercessory prayers.
Bringing up the gifts of bread and wine were Mr. Quinn's nieces, Lisa and Corinne Agolino, and nephews, Samuel and Joseph Agolino.
Mr. Quinn's son Michael helped distribute the Eucharist along with family friends Michael Norz, Maureen Dunn and James Rainsford.
Following Communion, Mascia was honored to pay tribute to his friend and colleague.
"This is not the time to dwell on the tragedy that took him suddenly from us," he said, but on the memories he left with those in the congregation.
Born in the coal mining city of Tamaqua, Pa., Mr. Quinn endured many hardships as a young boy which included living in an orphanage with his four brothers for a time.
"Ed was always focused, setting goals for himself at an early age and seeing them through."
He married Marie, "his best friend," and together they have three "beautiful" adult children: Michael, 30, Colleen E. Ellen, 27, and Scott, 23.
12 окт 2023
