May 22, 2025 • 21 mins
Have you ever thought about that small line between the birth and death dates on a tombstone? That dash represents everything—your entire life, the people you loved, the choices you made, the legacy you left behind.
In this powerful episode of the BeTempered podcast, hosts Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr invite you to reflect on what it means to live a life worthy of your dash. They share the extraordinary story of Michael "Pappy" Quinn, a humble tool and die maker from West Virginia whose legacy of love, faith, and servant leadership continues to inspire.
Mike’s life wasn’t measured by wealth or titles, but by how he made others feel. Kids from the neighborhood—many without father figures—walked miles just to play backyard football with him. When his brother was drafted for Vietnam, Mike asked to go in his place. He lived with wonder, joy, and unshakable faith—teaching life lessons through peanut butter bacon sandwiches, muddy puddle adventures, and quiet, intentional presence.
This episode will move you. It will challenge you. And it will ask the question: Are you living your dash with purpose? Are you showing up for the people who matter? Are you serving without expectation?
As the poem “The Dash” says:
“It matters not how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash.
What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.”
Take a moment today to reflect on what kind of story your dash is telling. Then share this episode with someone who needs the reminder—because while we don’t choose when our dash begins or ends, we do choose how we fill it.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, my name is Allie Schmidt.
This is my dad, Dan.
He owns Catron's Glass.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Thanks, allie.
Things like doors and windowsgo into making a house, but when
it's your home you expect morelike the great service and
selection you'll get fromCatron's Glass Final replacement
.
Windows from Catron's come witha lifetime warranty, including
accidental glass breakagereplacement.
Also ask for custom showerdoors and many other products
and services.
Call 962-1636.
Locally owned, with localemployees for nearly 30 years.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Kitchen class, the clear choice.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Welcome to the Be Tempered podcast, where we
explore the art of findingbalance in a chaotic world.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Join us as we delve into insightful conversations,
practical tips and inspiringstories to help you navigate
life's ups and downs with graceand resilience.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
We're your hosts, Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr.
Let's embark on a journey tolive our best lives.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
This is Be Tempered.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
What's up everybody?
Welcome to the Be Temperedpodcast, episode number 55.
55.
Here we go, rolling right alonginto season number two with the
podcast.
There's a line on everytombstone between the date
you're born and the date youpass.
It's just a dash, small, simple, almost unnoticed.
(01:14):
But that dash, that's yourentire life, everything you did,
everything you loved, the joy,the sorrow, the laughter, the
legacy it's all packed into thatone little mark.
Today we want to talk aboutwhat it means to live a life
worthy of that dash, and we'regoing to do that by reading and
(01:35):
reflecting on the incrediblelife of a man named Michael John
Quinn, or Pappy as he was knownto many.
His obituary is just a notice,isn't just a notice.
It's a love letter, a testimony, a legacy.
It's the kind of dash we shouldall hope to leave behind.
(01:55):
So here it is Michael JohnQuinn, fondly known as Pappy,
age of Lewisburg, ohio, diedThursday May 1, 2025, at the
Dayton VA Medical Center HospiceUnit in Dayton, ohio.
Born May 4, 1944, in Wheeling,West Virginia, the son of the
late James Michael and ClaraQuinn, he came into this world
(02:16):
as a surprise to his mother.
He had a twin brother in tow.
Twin brother in tow.
He grew up in the hills of wildand wonderful West Virginia
enjoying time with his brothersand sisters picking strawberries
.
For 15 cents a pint.
They needed 35 cents to getinto the pool.
(02:37):
Through high school, mikecaddied the Ogle Bay and turned
wrenches at Charlie Kramer'sgarage.
Michael proudly served in theUS Army from 1966 to 1968 during
the Vietnam War.
When he was drafted to the Armyand his brother, bill, got
orders to Vietnam, mike went tothe Army and asked to go in his
brother's place.
He was denied the request.
He and his twin brother, jim,were stationed in Germany.
(03:01):
Mike's love of camping includedmany peanut butter and bacon
sandwiches with his brothers andhis dad, the OG Pappy.
Throughout life and the manycamping trips, mike was never
without a pocket knife and aflashlight.
After marrying Marianne, thelove of his life, they spent
their days dancing andcelebrating, enjoying everything
(03:21):
as if it was their first time,dancing and celebrating,
enjoying everything as if it wastheir first time Along with his
wife.
He worked hard to raise threeperfect kids.
You could always catch himplaying ball in the backyard
until the sun went down andquite a few times way past
sunset if the score was tied.
Rainy days didn't stop him fromplaying outside with his kids.
He would be found slipping,sliding or splashing in the
(03:51):
puddles, never concerned withhow muddy we got In the winter,
outdoor antics did not cease.
There was always a hill to sleddown or a fort to build.
Mike stayed at the finestcampgrounds and two-star hotels
because he never needed orwanted for more.
His fancy attire included hisbib overalls, always
grease-stained and well-worn.
He had worked as a tool and dyemaker for many years at the
General Motors and eventuallywas a general supervisor over
(04:11):
the tool room in Dayton Ohio.
He taught his family to growvegetables and raise goats.
It was also a necessity to himto make sure his kids knew how
to change their own oil andchange attire by themselves.
He always wanted them to beable to enjoy the beauty of
everyday life.
Mike spent most of his summersat Lake St Mary's, where he
(04:33):
would water, ski and boat untilthe sun went down, happy with
anyone who wanted to come along.
On Sundays, he'd find him atchurch.
At church, he and his familywould always go out for ice
cream and he would talk aboutthe gospel in a childlike way,
so as the little kid couldunderstand.
Mike squeezed every last dropout of every day.
He took nothing for granted andloved everyone.
(04:55):
He had a laid-back attitude,which was due to his love for
God.
He always trusted him, eventhrough the most difficult times
.
He was the best example of notsweating.
The small stuff Rarely didthings upset him.
Mike enjoyed his grandchildren.
In fact they were the highlightof his life.
He was beyond proud watchingthem do their own things From
(05:18):
Robbie joining the Army,savannah shining in cheerleading
and academics, justin's lovefor cars and hot rods, savannah
shining in cheerleading andacademics, justin's love for
cars and hot rods.
There was a Guinness love ofsports, working hard and huge
hugs for his Pappy that weregiven almost every day.
Bailey's artistic talents thatPappy would say were better than
any of the world's most famousartists.
He always admired James' work,ethic, healthy eating and habits
(05:41):
and workouts which back in theday were similar to his own
healthy lifestyle.
He loved watching James playfootball.
Maggie was a member of her highschool cheer team and cheered
for her brother's team allthrough high school.
Pappy looked forward to theupdates, her college life and
her sorority, alpha Gamma Delta.
He was the best teller of theworst dad jokes.
(06:04):
Mike enjoyed talking to hisbrothers and sisters almost
every day and thoseconversations most definitely
would include frog follies,derby days and whatever was new
and happy in his life.
He enjoyed lunches at thebullpen and occasionally getting
to see one of his favoritepeople, mariana steves, at dot
Market.
It would be the highlight ofhis day.
(06:25):
Mike never slowed down until hisbody wouldn't let him get on a
tractor, go to a car show orhelp out at his church as Pappy
was passing.
All the loved ones were rightbeside him and those who weren't
were there in spirit.
Although this was a time ofdeep sorrow for all of us being
left behind, he was celebrated.
His finalizations of gettingready to see what heaven was all
(06:47):
about.
Mike always enveloped the loveof God.
His beloved friends, theAndersons, prayed the rosary for
him on day two at hospice.
After praying the rosary hisbreathing became a little easier
, but he passed a few hourslater.
His nurse, maria, who fondlycalled Ave Maria, helped us and
(07:08):
him celebrate going to heaven inthe only way that an angel from
God could do.
We imagine that Mike is in hisboat with his dad and Jesus,
reminiscing about how much heloved life and all the good
things.
He finally got to see Jesusface to face.
I know Jesus is saying welldone my good and faithful
servant, mike's peace.
He leaves you In lieu offlowers.
(07:28):
He wants you to love someonethat's hard to love or do a good
deed.
He survived by his wife, aMarianne, children, jennifer,
eric, david, brothers James,william and sisters, marianne
and Patricia, sevengrandchildren, numerous nieces
and nephews, and cousins andfriends.
And that's Mike Quinn'sobituary.
(07:51):
And I had the privilege of goingto church with Mike and when I
was confirmed at the church itwas Mike who took me out to
breakfast just the two of us,over eggs and coffee.
He shared his kind heart andtalked to me about faith and
family, the two most importantthings in his life, and what he
hoped would be the same in mine.
It was a small gesture but oneI've never forgotten.
Just a couple weeks before Mikepassed, he stopped me after
(08:15):
church and quietly shared someof his recent health struggles
and told me he knew his time wasgetting short.
But what struck me wasn't thenews, it was how at peace he was
.
He was excited to go to heaven,excited to see the best friend,
his best friend, his dad.
The moment it stuck with me.
I remember thinking how can Ilive more like Mike?
(08:39):
At Mike's viewing I spoke to hissweet wife Marianne.
She shared a story with me thatmoved me to my core.
She told me how Mike would comehome from work and there would
be a group of kids waiting, kidswho walked two miles out of
town just to play backyardfootball with him.
Many of them didn't havefathers.
Mike would play with them untilthe sun went down and sometimes
(09:01):
well past dark.
Then he'd come inside and askMarianne to make sandwiches,
because he knew some of thosekids would go home hungry and he
wouldn't let that happen.
She told me they even broughtsome of those kids on family
vacations and they took two carsjust to make room.
That was who Mike was.
He wasn't famous, he didn'tchase attention.
(09:23):
He was just a humble, humble,everyday man who loved life with
a quiet faith, steady love andunshakable purpose.
But there's no doubt mike quinnimpacted more lives than he
ever knew and I think if we alllived our dash like mike did,
this world would be a betterplace.
What do you think?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
I mean you get emotional just thinking about it
.
I mean I see the emotion onyour face.
But you know, even though Idon't know Mike, you can just I
think we all kind of have, orhopefully are lucky enough to
have, a Mike in our lives.
You know, I think about when Ifirst read it or when you first
sent it to me and I read it.
Growing up in West Virginia,those people are built different
(10:09):
.
Yeah, you know what I mean whenyou talk about the simplistic
life that he lived, and I meanhe was just happy with what he
had.
My grandpa that's where he wasfrom was from West Virginia as
well.
One of my favorite stories heused to tell me was about
baseball, him and his brothers.
They couldn't afford a baseballand they worked the coal mines
(10:30):
and I remember Grandpa alwayssaying that they used to walk
around and just find rubberbands and enough rubber bands to
where they can wind a newspaperup and just start with those
rubber bands.
And that was their baseball.
And he said, ben, it would hitbetter than any ball you'd ever
hit.
He said it was just amazing.
And I swear the West Virginiapeople are just, they're built
different.
But you read through theobituary and there's no doubt
(10:52):
where he went.
You know what I mean.
I mean, you look, and the firstthing I saw after I read
through it was servant leader.
You know what I mean, and it'sone of those things that we talk
about, where a leader is notjust one that screams and
hollers and does stuff.
Like this was a servant leaderin my eyes, like what Jesus
calls us to do like lead, likehe did, right, yeah, I mean you
(11:14):
look, he served in the army,tried to go for his brother.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
That's amazing, no, no no, don'ttake my brother, like take me.
And then he served our country.
Then he comes back and he'sjust happy doing an everyday job
.
But he did it to the best ofhis ability to where he got a
promotion.
And then you know all the kidsthat are walking out there.
(11:35):
He loved them, talked about thegospel and about child, like
look through the Bible at whatGod talks about the children and
having that kind of faith.
And all the way to the endthat's what they said he had.
Right, he talked about like thegospel, like a child, I mean I.
Then you hit the end where hetalks about um, you know, he was
just excited to meet jesus andhave jesus say you know, well
(11:58):
done yeah, faithful servant,yeah, oh my goodness, when I
read that.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
It's just, it's awesome yeah, and you know, my
goodness, when I read that, it'sjust, it's awesome.
Yeah, and you know, I don'tknow why God put this on my
heart to do this podcast,because, like I said, I didn't
know Mike.
Well, I just, you know I wouldsee him at church, always had a
smile on his face, um, and andthen we had that conversation a
couple of weeks ago and, um, youknow, for for 30 minutes he
(12:23):
just sat there and told me howexcited he was to see his dad
again and I, just, you know, Ikept trying to be encouraging to
him and say, mike, you're goingto be okay, you know, just take
your time, don't try to do allthe things you've done your
whole life and relax a littlebit.
And and he just kept smilingand I could just tell that he
knew, you know, he knew his timewas near and he was, he was
perfectly fine with that.
(12:44):
And you know, mike was one ofthose guys I'd I'd see him
driving around town or ordriving in church.
I mean he, he drove an old geoMetro car.
I mean he, he really didn'tcare about any of those things
that so many of us care about is, you know how we look and how
we're perceived by others.
I mean, he was truly a servantleader who just wanted to make
(13:07):
people feel good and, you know,and and care for them in some
way, and, and, and.
Then, when I was at the, thevisitation, and, and Marianne
gave me a big hug and she, youknow she told me the story about
how those kids, would you know,trek two miles every day out to
their house and, and, you know,to play football, and Mike
would get home from, I'm sure, along day's worth of you know
(13:29):
work and probably tired, and buthe didn't care, you know he was
, he was there to uh, to helpthose kids and and, uh, man,
what an impact.
And I just, you know God, justput it on my heart to say, hey,
you need to read this obituarybecause, um, you know, that's
the kind of person I want to beyou know, not just for for my
family, but for for others, andum, and so that dash, I think is
(13:52):
, is so important in our life,because that is our story.
And so, um, you know how he hesqueezed every drop out of every
day.
You know even the little thingslike peanut butter, bacon
sandwiches.
You know, I mean that's, Inever had that.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
No, it's tempting now .
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Might might end up being a being, being a thing I
don't know, um, and I love howhe talks about his grandkids and
he.
He appreciated each and everyone.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And uh, and that's how he made.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
That's how he made me feel every time he talked to me
.
Um, you know, he made me feellike I was the only person in
the room and um, it was.
It was very, very inspiring.
So, so a good man, um for sure.
Um, what would you want someoneto say about your dash?
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Yeah Well, I actually I got a poem here that I want
to read first about the dashkind of made me when, when we
had that conversation, I lookedup some things and I read this
poem and it just it was almostlike goes right in line with it
it's called the dash and said Iread of a man who stood to speak
at a funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates of thetomb, since the beginning to
(15:01):
the end.
He noted that the first onecame, the date of birth, and
spoke the following dates withtears but said what matters most
was all the dashes betweenthose years, for the dash
represents all the time that hespent alive on earth, and now
only those who loved him knowwhat little that line is worth.
For it matters not how much weown the cars, the house, the
(15:26):
cash.
What matters most is we livedand loved and how we spent our
dash.
So think about it long and hard.
Are these things you like tochange?
For you never know how muchtime is left that still can be
rearranged, to be less quick, toanger and show appreciation
(15:47):
more and love the people in ourlives like we've never loved
before if we treat each otherwith respect and, more often,
wear a smile, remembering thatthis special dash might only
last a little while.
So when your eulogy is beingread, with the life's actions to
rehash, would you be proud ofthe things they say about how
(16:10):
you lived your dash, yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
that's good.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Yeah.
So I mean I read that and itjust kind of I don't know.
It's something we never thinkabout.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
No.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
You know you wake up and we have goals that we try to
hit every day and you havegoals that life goals.
You have yearly goals and it'slike sometimes you know you talk
about being present and that'swhat.
Sometimes it's just like justgot to be present.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
You know, that's the first goal that I feel like all
of us can do a better job at,you know, and I I think one of
the ones that hit me the hardesthere was the part where he
talks about his wife, right,yeah, the love of his life.
Yep, because we both have thelove of our lives.
I don't think that's questioned, right, but where is that part
(16:59):
at where he talks about that'show he spent his life right?
Spent his life right?
Um, they spent their daysdancing and celebrating,
enjoying everything as if it wastheir first time and, you know,
with stresses of kids andeverything like that.
It's like man, that's the firstthing I think I gotta do a
better job at.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
You know, when I look at it well, and I think that's
why it hit me so hard when I,you know, I read it in our local
newspaper, whatever morning itwas, and I read the obituary,
obviously because I knew Mike,but when I read it, it just man,
it just hit me in the mouth.
Like hey, you need to be morepresent.
You know you need to be morepresent with your wife.
(17:41):
You need to be more presentwith your family.
You need to be more presentwith your family.
You need to be more presentwith, with all those people that
you come in contact with,because we've talked about it
before you know, life is so busyand we've got so much going on
with work and family and kidsand and all the different things
that we do that it's sodifficult to be present, and I
and I again I think that's partof the reason that God put this
(18:04):
podcast on our heart to do thiswas to make us be more present.
Right, so that we're not sittinghere looking like idiots
interviewing people.
You know we have to be presentand so I'm really trying to be
intentional with anyone that Italk to or I meet is just being
present and listening to thatperson and taking and and trying
(18:25):
to comprehend what they'retelling me or why they're
telling it to me.
And so you know, every time Iread and I've read it probably
four times as obituary I mean itmakes me emotional and uh, I'm
still trying to figure that out,but you know, I just hope that,
that you know, whenever my timecomes, that that my dash reads
like Mike's obituary.
(18:46):
You know, I mean it's amazing.
So you got anything else youwant to add?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Um no, I just I'm, I don't know, I don't.
I mean, I kind of feel the sameway, and the thing is I didn't
even know Mike, like I never methim, you know, and uh, but it
still brings the same kind ofrole in motion.
I feel like, no matter whatcause you think, anytime you
talk about death, think about,you know, the different dashes,
and so one thing I was thinkingabout was you know the different
(19:13):
funerals that I go to.
Obviously, that's what happenswhen death happens, but you know
, so I've been at ones whereit's a young, you know, a
younger person, where you, they,didn't realize that dashes come
to an end, you know.
And so that's the big thingthat I feel like to take away
from this is you never know?
I mean, it could be today, itcould be tomorrow.
(19:34):
So don't wait to rearrange thethings that you want to
rearrange or live the way thatyou want that dash to read
Today's the day.
Make today count and change ittoday.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Make that impact now.
Don't sit back and wait and sayI'll do it tomorrow.
You don't get to choose yourbirth or your death, but you
absolutely get to choose how youlive the dash.
So what are you doing with it?
At the end of the day, we don'tget to decide when our dash
begins or ends, but weabsolutely get to choose how we
(20:07):
fill it.
And if we take anything fromMike Quinn's life, it's that
legacy isn't built in bigmoments, it's built in the
backyard games, the peanutbutter sandwiches and loving
people, like Jesus told us to do.
That's how you live a dashworth remembering Everybody.
(20:30):
If you know Mike's wife,marianne, his kids, his
grandkids, make sure you reachout to him and tell him how
impactful his life story wasbecause, man, it's had a big
impact on me here the last weeksince his passing and we again
appreciate your ears.
We appreciate all the support.
We ask that you continue toshare the show.
(20:51):
If it's impacted you in someway, maybe it can impact
somebody else and maybe Mike'sstory can be that for someone to
start living their lifeintentionally to helping others
and to being present in everydaymoments.
So we appreciate everything.
Go out and be tempered.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
Hi, my name is Allie Schmidt.
This is my dad, Dan.
He owns Catron's Glass.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
Thanks, Allie.
Things like doors and windowsgo into making a house, but when
it's your home you expect morelike the great service and
selection you'll get fromCatron's Glass Final replacement
.
Windows from Catron's come witha lifetime warranty, including
accidental glass breakagereplacement.
Also ask for custom showerdoors and many other products
and services.
Call 962-1636.
Locally owned, with localemployees for nearly 30 years.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Catron's Glass the clear choice.
Hi, my name is Allie Schmidt.
This is my dad, Dan.
He owns Catron's Glass.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Thanks, allie.
Things like doors and windowsgo into making a house, but when
it's your home you expect morelike the great service and
selection you'll get fromCatron's Glass Final replacement
.
Windows from Catron's come witha lifetime warranty, including
accidental glass breakagereplacement.
Also ask for custom showerdoors and many other products
and services.
Call 962-1636.
Locally owned, with localemployees for nearly 30 years.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Kitchen class, the clear choice.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Welcome to the Be Tempered podcast, where we
explore the art of findingbalance in a chaotic world.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Join us as we delve into insightful conversations,
practical tips and inspiringstories to help you navigate
life's ups and downs with graceand resilience.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
We're your hosts, Dan Schmidt and Ben Spahr.
Let's embark on a journey tolive our best lives.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
This is Be Tempered.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
What's up everybody?
Welcome to the Be Temperedpodcast, episode number 55.
55.
Here we go, rolling right alonginto season number two with the
podcast.
There's a line on everytombstone between the date
you're born and the date youpass.
It's just a dash, small, simple, almost unnoticed.
(01:14):
But that dash, that's yourentire life, everything you did,
everything you loved, the joy,the sorrow, the laughter, the
legacy it's all packed into thatone little mark.
Today we want to talk aboutwhat it means to live a life
worthy of that dash, and we'regoing to do that by reading and
(01:35):
reflecting on the incrediblelife of a man named Michael John
Quinn, or Pappy as he was knownto many.
His obituary is just a notice,isn't just a notice.
It's a love letter, a testimony, a legacy.
It's the kind of dash we shouldall hope to leave behind.
(01:55):
So here it is Michael JohnQuinn, fondly known as Pappy,
age of Lewisburg, ohio, diedThursday May 1, 2025, at the
Dayton VA Medical Center HospiceUnit in Dayton, ohio.
Born May 4, 1944, in Wheeling,West Virginia, the son of the
late James Michael and ClaraQuinn, he came into this world
(02:16):
as a surprise to his mother.
He had a twin brother in tow.
Twin brother in tow.
He grew up in the hills of wildand wonderful West Virginia
enjoying time with his brothersand sisters picking strawberries
.
For 15 cents a pint.
They needed 35 cents to getinto the pool.
(02:37):
Through high school, mikecaddied the Ogle Bay and turned
wrenches at Charlie Kramer'sgarage.
Michael proudly served in theUS Army from 1966 to 1968 during
the Vietnam War.
When he was drafted to the Armyand his brother, bill, got
orders to Vietnam, mike went tothe Army and asked to go in his
brother's place.
He was denied the request.
He and his twin brother, jim,were stationed in Germany.
(03:01):
Mike's love of camping includedmany peanut butter and bacon
sandwiches with his brothers andhis dad, the OG Pappy.
Throughout life and the manycamping trips, mike was never
without a pocket knife and aflashlight.
After marrying Marianne, thelove of his life, they spent
their days dancing andcelebrating, enjoying everything
(03:21):
as if it was their first time,dancing and celebrating,
enjoying everything as if it wastheir first time Along with his
wife.
He worked hard to raise threeperfect kids.
You could always catch himplaying ball in the backyard
until the sun went down andquite a few times way past
sunset if the score was tied.
Rainy days didn't stop him fromplaying outside with his kids.
He would be found slipping,sliding or splashing in the
(03:51):
puddles, never concerned withhow muddy we got In the winter,
outdoor antics did not cease.
There was always a hill to sleddown or a fort to build.
Mike stayed at the finestcampgrounds and two-star hotels
because he never needed orwanted for more.
His fancy attire included hisbib overalls, always
grease-stained and well-worn.
He had worked as a tool and dyemaker for many years at the
General Motors and eventuallywas a general supervisor over
(04:11):
the tool room in Dayton Ohio.
He taught his family to growvegetables and raise goats.
It was also a necessity to himto make sure his kids knew how
to change their own oil andchange attire by themselves.
He always wanted them to beable to enjoy the beauty of
everyday life.
Mike spent most of his summersat Lake St Mary's, where he
(04:33):
would water, ski and boat untilthe sun went down, happy with
anyone who wanted to come along.
On Sundays, he'd find him atchurch.
At church, he and his familywould always go out for ice
cream and he would talk aboutthe gospel in a childlike way,
so as the little kid couldunderstand.
Mike squeezed every last dropout of every day.
He took nothing for granted andloved everyone.
(04:55):
He had a laid-back attitude,which was due to his love for
God.
He always trusted him, eventhrough the most difficult times
.
He was the best example of notsweating.
The small stuff Rarely didthings upset him.
Mike enjoyed his grandchildren.
In fact they were the highlightof his life.
He was beyond proud watchingthem do their own things From
(05:18):
Robbie joining the Army,savannah shining in cheerleading
and academics, justin's lovefor cars and hot rods, savannah
shining in cheerleading andacademics, justin's love for
cars and hot rods.
There was a Guinness love ofsports, working hard and huge
hugs for his Pappy that weregiven almost every day.
Bailey's artistic talents thatPappy would say were better than
any of the world's most famousartists.
He always admired James' work,ethic, healthy eating and habits
(05:41):
and workouts which back in theday were similar to his own
healthy lifestyle.
He loved watching James playfootball.
Maggie was a member of her highschool cheer team and cheered
for her brother's team allthrough high school.
Pappy looked forward to theupdates, her college life and
her sorority, alpha Gamma Delta.
He was the best teller of theworst dad jokes.
(06:04):
Mike enjoyed talking to hisbrothers and sisters almost
every day and thoseconversations most definitely
would include frog follies,derby days and whatever was new
and happy in his life.
He enjoyed lunches at thebullpen and occasionally getting
to see one of his favoritepeople, mariana steves, at dot
Market.
It would be the highlight ofhis day.
(06:25):
Mike never slowed down until hisbody wouldn't let him get on a
tractor, go to a car show orhelp out at his church as Pappy
was passing.
All the loved ones were rightbeside him and those who weren't
were there in spirit.
Although this was a time ofdeep sorrow for all of us being
left behind, he was celebrated.
His finalizations of gettingready to see what heaven was all
(06:47):
about.
Mike always enveloped the loveof God.
His beloved friends, theAndersons, prayed the rosary for
him on day two at hospice.
After praying the rosary hisbreathing became a little easier
, but he passed a few hourslater.
His nurse, maria, who fondlycalled Ave Maria, helped us and
(07:08):
him celebrate going to heaven inthe only way that an angel from
God could do.
We imagine that Mike is in hisboat with his dad and Jesus,
reminiscing about how much heloved life and all the good
things.
He finally got to see Jesusface to face.
I know Jesus is saying welldone my good and faithful
servant, mike's peace.
He leaves you In lieu offlowers.
(07:28):
He wants you to love someonethat's hard to love or do a good
deed.
He survived by his wife, aMarianne, children, jennifer,
eric, david, brothers James,william and sisters, marianne
and Patricia, sevengrandchildren, numerous nieces
and nephews, and cousins andfriends.
And that's Mike Quinn'sobituary.
(07:51):
And I had the privilege of goingto church with Mike and when I
was confirmed at the church itwas Mike who took me out to
breakfast just the two of us,over eggs and coffee.
He shared his kind heart andtalked to me about faith and
family, the two most importantthings in his life, and what he
hoped would be the same in mine.
It was a small gesture but oneI've never forgotten.
Just a couple weeks before Mikepassed, he stopped me after
(08:15):
church and quietly shared someof his recent health struggles
and told me he knew his time wasgetting short.
But what struck me wasn't thenews, it was how at peace he was
.
He was excited to go to heaven,excited to see the best friend,
his best friend, his dad.
The moment it stuck with me.
I remember thinking how can Ilive more like Mike?
(08:39):
At Mike's viewing I spoke to hissweet wife Marianne.
She shared a story with me thatmoved me to my core.
She told me how Mike would comehome from work and there would
be a group of kids waiting, kidswho walked two miles out of
town just to play backyardfootball with him.
Many of them didn't havefathers.
Mike would play with them untilthe sun went down and sometimes
(09:01):
well past dark.
Then he'd come inside and askMarianne to make sandwiches,
because he knew some of thosekids would go home hungry and he
wouldn't let that happen.
She told me they even broughtsome of those kids on family
vacations and they took two carsjust to make room.
That was who Mike was.
He wasn't famous, he didn'tchase attention.
(09:23):
He was just a humble, humble,everyday man who loved life with
a quiet faith, steady love andunshakable purpose.
But there's no doubt mike quinnimpacted more lives than he
ever knew and I think if we alllived our dash like mike did,
this world would be a betterplace.
What do you think?
Speaker 4 (09:47):
I mean you get emotional just thinking about it
.
I mean I see the emotion onyour face.
But you know, even though Idon't know Mike, you can just I
think we all kind of have, orhopefully are lucky enough to
have, a Mike in our lives.
You know, I think about when Ifirst read it or when you first
sent it to me and I read it.
Growing up in West Virginia,those people are built different
(10:09):
.
Yeah, you know what I mean whenyou talk about the simplistic
life that he lived, and I meanhe was just happy with what he
had.
My grandpa that's where he wasfrom was from West Virginia as
well.
One of my favorite stories heused to tell me was about
baseball, him and his brothers.
They couldn't afford a baseballand they worked the coal mines
(10:30):
and I remember Grandpa alwayssaying that they used to walk
around and just find rubberbands and enough rubber bands to
where they can wind a newspaperup and just start with those
rubber bands.
And that was their baseball.
And he said, ben, it would hitbetter than any ball you'd ever
hit.
He said it was just amazing.
And I swear the West Virginiapeople are just, they're built
different.
But you read through theobituary and there's no doubt
(10:52):
where he went.
You know what I mean.
I mean, you look, and the firstthing I saw after I read
through it was servant leader.
You know what I mean, and it'sone of those things that we talk
about, where a leader is notjust one that screams and
hollers and does stuff.
Like this was a servant leaderin my eyes, like what Jesus
calls us to do like lead, likehe did, right, yeah, I mean you
(11:14):
look, he served in the army,tried to go for his brother.
Yeah, you know what I mean.
That's amazing, no, no no, don'ttake my brother, like take me.
And then he served our country.
Then he comes back and he'sjust happy doing an everyday job
.
But he did it to the best ofhis ability to where he got a
promotion.
And then you know all the kidsthat are walking out there.
(11:35):
He loved them, talked about thegospel and about child, like
look through the Bible at whatGod talks about the children and
having that kind of faith.
And all the way to the endthat's what they said he had.
Right, he talked about like thegospel, like a child, I mean I.
Then you hit the end where hetalks about um, you know, he was
just excited to meet jesus andhave jesus say you know, well
(11:58):
done yeah, faithful servant,yeah, oh my goodness, when I
read that.
Speaker 3 (12:03):
It's just, it's awesome yeah, and you know, my
goodness, when I read that, it'sjust, it's awesome.
Yeah, and you know, I don'tknow why God put this on my
heart to do this podcast,because, like I said, I didn't
know Mike.
Well, I just, you know I wouldsee him at church, always had a
smile on his face, um, and andthen we had that conversation a
couple of weeks ago and, um, youknow, for for 30 minutes he
(12:23):
just sat there and told me howexcited he was to see his dad
again and I, just, you know, Ikept trying to be encouraging to
him and say, mike, you're goingto be okay, you know, just take
your time, don't try to do allthe things you've done your
whole life and relax a littlebit.
And and he just kept smilingand I could just tell that he
knew, you know, he knew his timewas near and he was, he was
perfectly fine with that.
(12:44):
And you know, mike was one ofthose guys I'd I'd see him
driving around town or ordriving in church.
I mean he, he drove an old geoMetro car.
I mean he, he really didn'tcare about any of those things
that so many of us care about is, you know how we look and how
we're perceived by others.
I mean, he was truly a servantleader who just wanted to make
(13:07):
people feel good and, you know,and and care for them in some
way, and, and, and.
Then, when I was at the, thevisitation, and, and Marianne
gave me a big hug and she, youknow she told me the story about
how those kids, would you know,trek two miles every day out to
their house and, and, you know,to play football, and Mike
would get home from, I'm sure, along day's worth of you know
(13:29):
work and probably tired, and buthe didn't care, you know he was
, he was there to uh, to helpthose kids and and, uh, man,
what an impact.
And I just, you know God, justput it on my heart to say, hey,
you need to read this obituarybecause, um, you know, that's
the kind of person I want to beyou know, not just for for my
family, but for for others, andum, and so that dash, I think is
(13:52):
, is so important in our life,because that is our story.
And so, um, you know how he hesqueezed every drop out of every
day.
You know even the little thingslike peanut butter, bacon
sandwiches.
You know, I mean that's, Inever had that.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
No, it's tempting now .
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Might might end up being a being, being a thing I
don't know, um, and I love howhe talks about his grandkids and
he.
He appreciated each and everyone.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
And uh, and that's how he made.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
That's how he made me feel every time he talked to me
.
Um, you know, he made me feellike I was the only person in
the room and um, it was.
It was very, very inspiring.
So, so a good man, um for sure.
Um, what would you want someoneto say about your dash?
Speaker 4 (14:39):
Yeah Well, I actually I got a poem here that I want
to read first about the dashkind of made me when, when we
had that conversation, I lookedup some things and I read this
poem and it just it was almostlike goes right in line with it
it's called the dash and said Iread of a man who stood to speak
at a funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates of thetomb, since the beginning to
(15:01):
the end.
He noted that the first onecame, the date of birth, and
spoke the following dates withtears but said what matters most
was all the dashes betweenthose years, for the dash
represents all the time that hespent alive on earth, and now
only those who loved him knowwhat little that line is worth.
For it matters not how much weown the cars, the house, the
(15:26):
cash.
What matters most is we livedand loved and how we spent our
dash.
So think about it long and hard.
Are these things you like tochange?
For you never know how muchtime is left that still can be
rearranged, to be less quick, toanger and show appreciation
(15:47):
more and love the people in ourlives like we've never loved
before if we treat each otherwith respect and, more often,
wear a smile, remembering thatthis special dash might only
last a little while.
So when your eulogy is beingread, with the life's actions to
rehash, would you be proud ofthe things they say about how
(16:10):
you lived your dash, yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:13):
that's good.
Speaker 4 (16:15):
Yeah.
So I mean I read that and itjust kind of I don't know.
It's something we never thinkabout.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
No.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
You know you wake up and we have goals that we try to
hit every day and you havegoals that life goals.
You have yearly goals and it'slike sometimes you know you talk
about being present and that'swhat.
Sometimes it's just like justgot to be present.
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
You know, that's the first goal that I feel like all
of us can do a better job at,you know, and I I think one of
the ones that hit me the hardesthere was the part where he
talks about his wife, right,yeah, the love of his life.
Yep, because we both have thelove of our lives.
I don't think that's questioned, right, but where is that part
(16:59):
at where he talks about that'show he spent his life right?
Spent his life right?
Um, they spent their daysdancing and celebrating,
enjoying everything as if it wastheir first time and, you know,
with stresses of kids andeverything like that.
It's like man, that's the firstthing I think I gotta do a
better job at.
Speaker 3 (17:20):
You know, when I look at it well, and I think that's
why it hit me so hard when I,you know, I read it in our local
newspaper, whatever morning itwas, and I read the obituary,
obviously because I knew Mike,but when I read it, it just man,
it just hit me in the mouth.
Like hey, you need to be morepresent.
You know you need to be morepresent with your wife.
(17:41):
You need to be more presentwith your family.
You need to be more presentwith your family.
You need to be more presentwith, with all those people that
you come in contact with,because we've talked about it
before you know, life is so busyand we've got so much going on
with work and family and kidsand and all the different things
that we do that it's sodifficult to be present, and I
and I again I think that's partof the reason that God put this
(18:04):
podcast on our heart to do thiswas to make us be more present.
Right, so that we're not sittinghere looking like idiots
interviewing people.
You know we have to be presentand so I'm really trying to be
intentional with anyone that Italk to or I meet is just being
present and listening to thatperson and taking and and trying
(18:25):
to comprehend what they'retelling me or why they're
telling it to me.
And so you know, every time Iread and I've read it probably
four times as obituary I mean itmakes me emotional and uh, I'm
still trying to figure that out,but you know, I just hope that,
that you know, whenever my timecomes, that that my dash reads
like Mike's obituary.
(18:46):
You know, I mean it's amazing.
So you got anything else youwant to add?
Speaker 4 (18:51):
Um no, I just I'm, I don't know, I don't.
I mean, I kind of feel the sameway, and the thing is I didn't
even know Mike, like I never methim, you know, and uh, but it
still brings the same kind ofrole in motion.
I feel like, no matter whatcause you think, anytime you
talk about death, think about,you know, the different dashes,
and so one thing I was thinkingabout was you know the different
(19:13):
funerals that I go to.
Obviously, that's what happenswhen death happens, but you know
, so I've been at ones whereit's a young, you know, a
younger person, where you, they,didn't realize that dashes come
to an end, you know.
And so that's the big thingthat I feel like to take away
from this is you never know?
I mean, it could be today, itcould be tomorrow.
(19:34):
So don't wait to rearrange thethings that you want to
rearrange or live the way thatyou want that dash to read
Today's the day.
Make today count and change ittoday.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Make that impact now.
Don't sit back and wait and sayI'll do it tomorrow.
You don't get to choose yourbirth or your death, but you
absolutely get to choose how youlive the dash.
So what are you doing with it?
At the end of the day, we don'tget to decide when our dash
begins or ends, but weabsolutely get to choose how we
(20:07):
fill it.
And if we take anything fromMike Quinn's life, it's that
legacy isn't built in bigmoments, it's built in the
backyard games, the peanutbutter sandwiches and loving
people, like Jesus told us to do.
That's how you live a dashworth remembering Everybody.
(20:30):
If you know Mike's wife,marianne, his kids, his
grandkids, make sure you reachout to him and tell him how
impactful his life story wasbecause, man, it's had a big
impact on me here the last weeksince his passing and we again
appreciate your ears.
We appreciate all the support.
We ask that you continue toshare the show.
(20:51):
If it's impacted you in someway, maybe it can impact
somebody else and maybe Mike'sstory can be that for someone to
start living their lifeintentionally to helping others
and to being present in everydaymoments.
So we appreciate everything.
Go out and be tempered.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
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This is my dad, Dan.
He owns Catron's Glass.
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