Michael F. Quinn Jr.

Latham- Michael Francis Quinn, Jr. died on July 1, 2023 at Kingsway Arms Nursing Home (Schenectady, NY) surrounded by family, after a long illness. He was 81 years old.

Michael (or "Mickey", to some) was born in Plainfield, NJ, child of Michael (Frank) and Rebecca. He and his younger sister, Becky, grew up in Arbor, NJ. He attended Oratory Preparatory School in Summit, NJ, where he excelled in all subjects, particularly math and science. His aptitude was so notable that during the graduation ceremony, when he received numerous awards recognizing his achievements (including the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award), the headmaster remarked he had to wait for Mickey to get back to his seat so he could announce the next award, which was also for Michael.

While in high school, Michael was a competitive cyclist and belonged to the Somerville Wheelmen. He competed in the 1960 Olympic trials in Central Park (New York City) and was a training partner and suspected lucky charm for Allen Bell who competed in the 1956 and 1960 Olympics.

Michael attended Newark College of Engineering (now named the New Jersey Institute of Technology) and earned his B.S. in Electrical Engineering. He married his first wife shortly after graduation and together they raised their sons Michael and George.

Michael started his career in July of 1963 at Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), which does critical work in the area of US naval nuclear propulsion. He worked initially in Idaho Falls, ID as a Test Engineer proving out the pioneering advancements in a new naval reactor prototype, then moved to Groton, CT to oversee the construction and initial reactor operations of USS NARWHAL (SSN 671), and finally transferred to Niskayuna, NY in 1969. Due to his consistent hands-on work ethic, Michael was eventually promoted to President and General Manager in July of 2001. He served in this capacity at KAPL until his retirement in January of 2009. In recognition of Michael's hard work and success, K.H. Donald, Admiral U.S. Navy – with whom Michael worked for many years – sent a personal note saying "You leave your successors a legacy of technical excellence and a passion for understanding the basic engineering underpinning our complex technology. You challenged the status quo while applying the fundamentals learned throughout the Program's history."

In 2003, Michael met the love of his life, Judy Rossman, of Niskayuna, NY. They developed a friendship and eventually married on April 28, 2007, embarking on what Michael referred to as the best time of his life. He became a loving father to Judy's two adult children, Stephanie and Nathan.

Idleness did not suit Michael, so in 2011 he came out of retirement to serve as President and CEO of Applied Robotics, Inc., a leading global manufacturer of robotic end-of-arm tooling and connectivity solutions. He served in this capacity until 2014. He also traveled extensively and enjoyed the family vacation home in Lake Placid, NY with his wife, Judy and his 5th child Jethro Jackson (the doted on dog), attended classes at Oxford University, flew for Angel Flight (a group that provides free air transportation for people who need medical treatment far from home), enjoyed scuba diving, riding his Harley, and began writing a book about his leadership experiences and philosophy.

Over the years, Michael gravitated to the individual interests of each of his children. He shared a love of sport with his son Michael, coaching his Little League teams while Michael was growing up and in later years attending college hockey's annual 'Frozen Four' tournaments. He shared a love of engineering and flying with George, with whom he often flew or discussed the details of their separate flying experiences. With Stephanie, Michael shared a love of science and running. Together they ran a half-marathon in 2005. He shared his love of motorcycles with Nathan, often riding their Harley Davidsons together.

Michael and Judy have four grandchildren (Ethan, Neve, Haven and Evan), who lovingly call him "Grandpa" or "Papa".

Reflecting on their time spent with him, it is with much gratitude and everlasting love that Michael's family now says: "Wheels up N428MQ".


Family and friends are invited to Calling hours Friday July 07, 2023 from 4-7 p.m. at New Comer Cremations & Funerals, 343 New Karner Road, Colonie, NY 12205.