Joseph William Quinn II

A familiar personality in pigeon circles, Joseph W. Quinn of Atwater, Ohio is an easy choice for I.F. Man of the Year in 2000. Joe has expended a tremendous amount of time on behalf of our hobby and sport, and it is with much pleasure that we recognize his efforts by honoring him with this year's award.
Born and raised in Ohio, Joe graduated from high school in 1948 and attended the University of Akron until he was drafted by the Army in 1951. After completing officer's training he was sent to Korea, where he received a commission as Second Lieutenant and served as platoon leader of the 5th Regiment Combat Team. In addition to a Bronze Star, Joe was awarded the American Defense Service Medal, a Korean Service Medal, the UN Service Ribbon, and a Combat Infantryman's Badge. He was informally discharged from the Army at the end of 1953 and remained on 24-hour call for the next 14 years because of his specialty skills.

Once back on U.S. soil, Joe returned to the University of Akron to complete his college education in Social Studies and Biological Science. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1956 and, later, a Master's Degree in Education from the university's Guidance and Counseling program. Joe began his teaching career as a mathematics instructor at Goodyear Junior High School in Akron, and in 1959 was promoted to a counselor at Garfield High School. Eighteen years later he returned to the junior-high arena and then finished his career as a counselor at North High School until retirement in 1990. Throughout his teaching years, Joe was active in a wide range of assignments including textbook committees, education associations, vocational programs, and teacher-accreditation activities. He also served in various capacities on the Advisory Board for Admissions at Ohio State University and the Ohio Association of College Admissions Counselors.

Joe Quinn's interest in education and science has not been limited to the formal teaching sector. In addition, it leads him into a study of pigeons, and that's the arena in which bird enthusiasts have come to know and respect this man. In 1968, Joe succeeded Dr. Willard Hollander, Professor Emeritus in Genetics at Iowa State University, as editor of the Pigeon Genetics Newsletter. Joe served in that capacity for eight years, editing some 1,600 pages of research studies on pigeons and doves. It was during this time that Joe's writings caught the attention of pigeon fanciers. In 1970, he wrote "The Pigeon Breeder's Notebook: An Introduction to Pigeon Science", which became an immediate success. Thirty years later, this book continues selling well and is cited worldwide as a base reference on the subject of pigeon genetics.

Not to be categorized solely as a genetics expert, Joe's interest in pigeons branched into many areas of the hobby. The Passenger Pigeon became a favorite for further investigation, leading Joe to write a documentation on its extinction from the planet. This work was published as a 23-part feature in Bird World Magazine. To this day, Joe Quinn is considered as the guiding expert and reference source for all information regarding the beautiful Passenger Pigeon.

During 1983 an outbreak of a new virus in the Newcastle series spread across Europe, and there was fear that the disease could travel to the United States. In response to growing concern, the National Avian Disease Task Force was created and Joe was designated as the NADTF chairman. The group's purpose was to find ways to prevent the virus from being introduced into this country, and to develop the necessary vaccines to protect caged birds in the event that quarantine practices failed. Although virology and the inherent technicalities related to disease were not within Joe's training, he spent the next few years authoring thirty articles on the subject. In his own words, it required "an agony of verification" to complete the writing project. Interestingly, the United States was the only country that handled the paramyxovirus issue without intervention from government agencies. It is likely that Joe's educational articles helped to make this possible.

In addition to the National Avian Disease Task Force, Joe has also served as chairman of the American Pigeon Fanciers' Council and the Avian Disease Research Committee. His many efforts in the world of pigeons have not gone unnoticed, and Joe has received acknowledgment in a variety of forums. Perhaps his most cherished award to date is the one he received in 1973 ..... the Levi Service Award from the National Pigeon Association in recognition of his genetics research. 

Joe at one of the National Young Bird Shows.

Joe and his friend Henry Wright taking a break at the World Of Wings BBQ event for the APFC meeting.

In 2013, Joe Quinn was selected into the Birmingham Roller Club’s Hall of Fame. I am sure this esteemed award would have pleased Joe greatly as he so loved his Birmingham Rollers. The award read in part. . .

His many efforts in the world of pigeons have not gone unnoticed, and Joe has received acknowledgment in a variety of forums, including the Levi Service Award from the National Pigeon Association in recognition of his genetics research, as well as the International Federation Man of the Year Award in the year 2000. Joe is truly missed in the roller hobby, by all whose lives he touched; and he touched so many…a combat infantry officer, Korean War veteran, researcher, scientist, teacher and all around pigeon nut; a true legend of a man.