Posted by Carmody Quinn on November 5, 2014:

Matthew Quinn was born in 1933 to Matt & Mary Quinn of Ellsworth, Wisconsin where he spent his youth. He graduated from Ellsworth High School and attended St. Thomas University before going on to attend West Point. True to his Irish heritage, he knew the art of telling engaging stories of his many travels and of his fascinating friends and family. He had the ability to bring these stories to life. He was quick to laugh, had a wry sense of humor and a gentle and kind soul. He had a long and illustrious career that started as a West Point grad, Class of 1956. He went on to become an Air Force pilot. He obtained his master's degree while in the Air Force and working on the Skybolt Program. He brought his family to Houston in 1963, where he went to work for NASA at what would later become Johnson Space Center. He worked on designing data communications for the Gemini and Apollo Missions. This included establishing ground based satellite relays in both Guam and Australia. While at NASA he obtained his PhD EE in 1972, from the University of Houston. He retired from NASA at the age of 45 and worked for Lockheed developing improved processing for the space shuttle fleet. He went into private consulting on satellite communications. He also found time to teach part time at University of Houston. He later went on to teach Engineering and Data Communications to the Military and private sector globally. For a man who has had such a remarkable career, it pales in comparison to how remarkable he is in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. His gentle smile, engaging laughter, and amazing stories, will echo in our hearts and warm us as we face our loss and celebrate his life.

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