QUIRK, Robert "Bob"
Although I didn't know Bob super well I did know him to have passed a few conversations and a bit of work together and he was always super intelligent, nice as can be and appreciative of anyone helping him (and he loved to help, too)
Source: Findagrave via Family and Friends Funeral Home
Robert '"Bob" F. Quirk, 92, passed away peacefully at his home on the family farm on July 11, 2020, just a few feet from where he was born on October 8, 1927 near Newtown, IN to Griff and Grace (McKinney) Quirk. He lived in the house he was born his whole life except for a few years in the Army and for four years when he lived next door when he first was married. He was a 1945 graduate of Richland Township High School, received a BA from Wabash College and an MA from Purdue University. He served in the US Army for one and a half years.
He met his bride, Jeannine Peterson, while cruising the streets of Attica. They were married on August 20, 1950 at the Lutheran Church in Attica. They would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary next month. He is survived by his wife; two sons; one daughter; one sister; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Hugh; and daughter-in-law, Peggy.
Bob farmed for many years and started teaching in the North Montgomery Corporation in 1958. He taught 5th and 6th grades at Coal Creek Central and also coached basketball at the grade school level for many years. He was later an elementary school principal for 10 years and finished his teaching career at Pleasant Hill Elementary, retiring in 1992. Many of his former students often remarked that he was their favorite teacher. He loved history and would share it with anyone willing to listen. He always said “Everyone has a story to tell. Write it down.” His family and community were fortunate that he took his own advice and authored three books: “Real American Stories,” “More Real American Stories” and “Still More Real American Stories.” They all dealt with local history and family stories. Bob and Jeannine enjoyed researching local history and events. He gave countless talks over the years to local groups in the area about local history.
He could remember who scored what basket in a game from the 1950’s, but send him to the store with three items to get and he would come home with only two of the items and would have added bananas. He loved bananas, peach pie, and rhubarb marmalade as well as his iPad, Facebook, calling his son Jerry every night after Jeopardy and checking to see who got the Final Jeopardy question right and playing Words With Friends with former students. He loved cheering for his children and grandchildren at their basketball, football, tennis, volleyball and track meets and their awards banquets at the Beef House. He was a faithful fan of Purdue football and basketball as he endured them through many rough seasons—not just the winning ones.
Each summer the family traveled to many states while taking his children to nearly every battlefield and historic site in the United States. A two-week trip to California in 1965 only cost $500 for the family of five! Bob and Jeannine traveled to Ireland in the 1970’s to explore his roots and visit family. He and Jeannine loved going on tours after retiring and enjoyed visiting with friends at the Wingate Café and the Subway and McDonald’s in Attica.
He loved to tell the story of how his parents met in 1922. Of course if you knew him you know he loved to tell stories! His mother, after graduating from Northwestern University, had been teaching music at an American and English missionary school in China from 1919 to 1922, quite unusual for a young woman in that time. Meanwhile, his father who was a native of Ireland, had been working as a sailor and had been over the world several times on both sailing and steam ships. As fate would have it they met on the SS Pyrrhus as Grace was coming home from China. Sea voyages took a long time in those days and a shipboard romance quickly developed. When his mother arrived home she had some exciting news for her family. They were married on St. Patrick’s Day in 1923, a great day for an Irish wedding.
Bob’s many activities included treasurer of the Newtown Cemetery board, secretary of the Fountain County Economic Development Corporation, Master of the Richland Township Masonic Lodge, president of the Montgomery County retired teachers association, president of the Fountain County Historical Society, unofficial Fountain County Historian for many years, and was a member of Festival Singers under the direction of Al Stewart. He was an active member of the Newtown Presbyterian (now Newtown Community Church) teaching Sunday School for many years, was a choir member, and served as chair of the board and treasurer. He very rarely missed a Sunday at church his entire life. He was quite thrilled to be a torchbearer for the Indiana bicentennial in 2016 and his most recent honor was to receive the Sagamore of the Wabash award in 2018. He was a recent and long-standing columnist in two newspapers about local history.
Visitation hours are from 4:00–8:00 PM on Friday, July 17, 2020 at Family and Friends Funeral Home in Wingate. Funeral service will be at 11:00 AM on Saturday, July 18, 2020 at the funeral home with Pastor Mike Parks officiating. Burial will follow in Newtown Cemetery.