William “Bill” Quenan Jr., age 78 of Amery, WI passed away at the Golden Age Manor in Amery on November 13, 2020 after a brief illness.

Bill was born in Rochester, NY on September 21, 1942 to William and Mary (Kryk) Quenan.  He attended St. Ambrose Elementary School and graduated in 1960 from McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, NY.  Bill attended John Carroll University in Ohio for a year then returned home and enlisted in the US Air Force in 1961.  His skills with electronic equipment placed him as a radio-radar technician for the fighter planes being used in the Vietnam War.  He had deployments to Da Nang AFB Vietnam and then Thailand during the conflict.  He spent 21 years in the service attaining a rank of Technical Staff Sgt.  When he returned home to the US, he spent time at Travis AFB in California and ended his service at MacDill AFB in Tampa, FL.  Bill remained in Tampa for the next 34 years.  He taught electronics at a community college and worked for the public TV and radio stations as well.  Bill had a passion for the theater beginning in high school and continuing through his military service and private life.  He established theater groups at several of his bases of assignment.  His proficiency for electronics made him the lead for stage lighting and sound.  He volunteered his time at the Jesuit High School in Tampa and eventually started “Chuck Roast” a call-in show on public radio.  He covered the Hillsborough County council meetings for public TV for several years.  Bill was a rabid fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  His season ticket was right below the bow of the end zone pirate ship.  It was a rare day that he did not have on his red Tampa Bay jacket.  He was especially thrilled to wear it when he came to visit and arrived in Vikings territory at the Twin Cities airport.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, William and Mary.  He is survived by his brother Jim (Danielle) Quenan of Amery, several nieces and nephews: Pat (Lisa) Quenan, Timothy (Colleen) Quenan, Lynn (Steve) Thoreson, Conrad Botz, Tyler (Jillian) Botz, Jasmine (Andrew) Hardin, Ben (Erica) Botz and many great-nieces and nephews.

He will be laid to rest on November 24, 2020 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery with military honors.

Last Update: Nov 16, 2020 8:06 pm CST