July 10, 1937 — May 14, 2026
William L. Quinn, of Reading, MA, formerly of Somerville, MA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 14th, 2026. He was 88 years of age. Born in Somerville, MA, William (Willie) was the son of the late William Quinn and Helen (Manning) Quinn. He was the loving husband of Mary Jane (Dalton) Quinn, with whom he celebrated 59 years of marriage on May 6.
Willie graduated from Somerville High School in 1956 and received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Boston University in 1961. He worked for the Risk Management Foundation, where he made many wonderful friendships until his retirement in 2009.
Willie and his wife, Mary Jane, raised their three children in Reading, MA. He was devoted to his family, almost never missing one of his children’s games, tournaments, or performances, nor those of his five beloved grandchildren. If not at a sporting event in town, you could often see him outside, painting the house, mowing the lawn, or otherwise caring for his or one of his children’s homes.
A gifted athlete, Willie was a true fan of all kinds of sports, playing softball with his brothers from a young age and going on to captain the BU ice hockey team (following in his brother Joe’s footsteps, then later by his brother Jimmy). He was a runner throughout his life. After his playing days were over, he became a referee of football, lacrosse, and ice hockey, serving at one point as the President of the Eastern Hockey Officials Association. He appreciated athleticism fundamentally. You could frequently find him watching golf or tennis on TV, at Little League games at the field near his house in Reading, or in the stands at Reggie Lewis Stadium, watching US track & field events with his brother Jimmy.
He had many good, lifelong friends, whom he would see regularly for coffee in the morning, on the golf course, observing the refs at a college hockey game, or over a pint. He was a regular at the Keno machine and faithfully played his number every day. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend who will be sorely missed.
Willie is survived by his wife, Mary Jane (Dalton) Quinn, and his three children: Katie H. Burns and her husband, Peter, of Wakefield, MA; Tom D. Quinn and his wife, Nicole, of Reading, MA; and Maura E. Quinn of Washington, DC. He leaves behind five beloved grandchildren: Matthew, Caroline, and Molly Burns, and Jack and Libby Quinn. He is the dear brother of the late Walter, Joseph, Bobby, Jimmy, and Mary Quinn, Edie Schrage, and brother-in-law of Maureen Quinn of Wakefield, MA, and Ita Quinn of Woburn, MA.
Funeral from the Doherty Barile Family Funeral Home, 11 Linden St., Reading, on Friday, May 22, 2026, at 9:30 am, followed by a Funeral Mass Celebrating Willie’s Eternal Life in St. Agnes Church, 186 Woburn St., Reading, at 10:30 am. Interment Charles Lawn Cemetery, Reading.
Family and friends are kindly invited to gather and share memories with the family on Thursday, May 21, 2026, from 4 pm to 7 pm in the funeral home. Parking attendants and an elevator are available.
The family gratefully acknowledges the kind staff of Kaplan House in Danvers. Donations in Willie’s name may be made to Care Dimensions Hospice (giving.caredimensions.org or 75 Sylvan Street, Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923).
