Alan R Quinby

After a brief illness, Alan Quinby, 95, passed away with family by his side on July 24, 2026, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

For Alan, family and friends were the greatest wealth and those who shared life with him are better for having known him.

He was the fourth son of Carleton B. Quinby and Pauline Ulmer Quinby, both of Chappaqua, NY. The Quinby family were known as one of the founding families of Chappaqua. He attended Cornell University, graduating in 1953 with a government major. Following his time at university, Alan enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his country with the First Infantry Division that was stationed in Germany. After his honorable service, Alan went on to have a long career in Advertising and Public Relations at Doremus & Co., under the Omnicom Group. In his role as the Senior Vice President, he specialized in communications, representing several governments in the Middle East.

He met, fell instantly in love, and married Ingeborg Boger in 1960. They settled and raised their three children in Briarcliff Manor, New York. Ingeborg died in 1988 after a five-year battle with cancer. Alan subsequently met and married Susan Maxwell Brainerd in 1994. Alan and Susan moved to and resided in Sarasota, Florida. They were very active in their community with Alan serving on the boards of First Step, The Children’s Guardian Fund and The Friends of the Selby Public Library. Both were strong patrons of the local arts: the ballet, the opera and The Hermitage. Their common love of travel took them to faraway places including India, China, Turkey, and Thailand. Susan passed away in 2021.

Alan loved racquet sports and he was an avid tennis player, squash player, and paddle tennis player. He met many of his lifelong friends on various courts. He was an elegant downhill skier. He enjoyed many trips with his best childhood friends to mountain destinations in the West and in Europe.

He was known by all who loved him for his intelligence and curiosity. He believed himself to be a master of The New York Times crossword puzzles, completing some of the puzzles some of the time. He was a relentless editor, and leaving nothing to chance, drafted the first version of this obituary, making sure his family knew where to find it.

He will be remembered by his loved ones for his perception, quick wit, and telling eyebrows. Alan’s 2nd grade teacher, Mrs. Page, of Horace Greeley Elementary School, in 1938, said “I cannot think of anything negative to say about Alan aside from his being tone deaf.” His family couldn’t agree with Mrs. Page more.

Alan is survived by his five children – Judy Brainerd Roth (Jack) of Madison, CT; Beth Brainerd (Tim) of Providence, RI; Jeffrey Quinby (Claudia) of Staunton, VA; Melissa Quinby (Jay) of South Portland, ME; and Allison Schmidt (Jim) of Edina, MN. He will be lovingly remembered by his seven grandchildren, Jack, Bering, Joseph, Inge, Sophia, Grace, and Elizabeth as well as his great grandchild, Margot. He was preceded in death by his grandchild Ian.

His cat, Mrs. Tibbs, along with the rest of his loved ones will miss him terribly.

As Alan was never one for pomp and circumstance, his family will be holding a small private service. In lieu of flowers please consider a charitable donation to an arts organization in Sarasota, FL.