Obituary of Virgil Allan Quinnell
Virgil Allan Quinnell, 80, 5025 Manor Lane, Wisconsin Rapids, died late Sunday, March 11, 2012 at his home.
Services will be at 11:00 am on Thursday, March 15th at Calvary Baptist Church. Pastor Jack Austin will officiate. Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery.
Virgil was born in Town of Sigel, Wood County on August 3, 1931 to Roy L. and Agnes (Haza) Quinnell. He married Vivian C. Pelot on July 28, 1956 in Wisconsin Rapids.
Virgil farmed on the homestead until he was drafted into military service during the Korean War. He loved to farm although he really didn?t like cows and hated chickens. He continued working the fields and haying on the old farm through 2011. The four Quinnell boys loved to sing and play gospel music and performed in church and at nursing homes for many years.
Virgil served his country in the Army from 1952-1954. His basic training and Cadre were at Camp Chaffee, Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was in the 32nd Red Arrow Division in Aschafenberg, Germany.
When Virgil returned from his military service, he worked at Consolidated Papers and then operated his own bulldozing business. He applied for a job as a custodian/maintenance man with the Wisconsin Rapids School District when he decided he didn?t like being on a bulldozer during the winter. He worked mainly at Mead School and Howe School for 26 ½ years until he retired in 1989. For many years he also operated the road graders and the winged snow plow for the Town of Sigel. He did this until he was 77 and his eyesight declined.
Virgil spent many happy hours in his workshop creating and tinkering. In 1970 he built a motor home fashioned after the Winnebago, which was dubbed the ?Quinnabago? because of the ?Q? painted on the side. The family enjoyed years of traveling together and after 42 years the ?Quinnebago? was still camping with the kids and grandkids on Memorial Day weekend each year. He also built a front-end loader, installed a hydraulic lift in his shop, and built his own garden tractors and many more things. He also spent many years building windmills. They were the last things he checked on each time he left home and the first thing he looked for on his return.
As Virgil?s eyesight diminished due to macular degeneration, his close friend, Walter Heiser, became his ?seeing eye-person? and they traveled many miles together going to farm shows, finding parts for his windmills and going to auctions.
Virgil is survived and will be greatly missed by his wife, Vivian and his four children: Penny (Clarence) Peterson, Silver Lake, Wisconsin; Douglas (Penny-Jo) Quinnell, Wisconsin Rapids; Peggy (David) Heise, Omro, Wisconsin; and Pat (Rob) Perkovich, Kimberly, Wisconsin; grandchildren: Eric, Douglas and Seth Peterson; Nicole (Dan) Croisant and Ashley Heise; Courtney and Tyler Perkovich; Great-granddaughter: Avylon Ann; brothers: Robert (Ruth) and Lew (Gloria) Quinnell; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Royal and his father and mother-in-law Carl and Florence Pelot.
Friends may call at Taylor, Vollert and Jennings Funeral Home from 4pm ? 8pm on Wednesday, March 14th and at the church on Thursday from 10:00 am until the time of services.
The family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers, especially Stephanie and Amy and the other hospice caregivers for their support and care during his final days. Over the past 12 years Virgil received exceptional care from Dr. Kirschling and the staff at the UW Cancer Center. He appreciated their smiles and banter which made the whole process just a little bit easier.
After a long and difficult fight with prostate cancer and bone cancer in his spine, Virgil looked forward to resting pain free in the arms of his Lord and Savior.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. ? II Timothy 4:7
