LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP)–Eugene Quinn, retired director of the Kentucky Baptist Convention church music department, died March 9 at age 84.
Quinn suffered a brain injury during a fall from the stage of the KBC evangelism conference March 1. He was leaving the stage of Valley View Baptist Church in Louisville after singing with the Kentucky Baptist Men’s Chorale. He died one week later at University of Louisville Hospital from complications related to the accident.
Quinn served more than 40 years as a denominational music leader, including nine years as director of the Illinois Baptist State Association’s church music department and then nearly 32 years as director of the KBC church music department. He retired in 1988.
Jim Cordell, director of the KBC’s worship/music department, said Quinn “was among the first of the state music directors,” launching many of the statewide music programs still conducted today.
Describing Quinn as “a very humble man,” Cordell added, “He had a real heart for missions and evangelism. His lifestyle reflected his beliefs.”
“Gene was one of those people whose heart beat with ministry and missions,” agreed Jim Holladay, Quinn’s pastor at Lyndon Baptist Church in Louisville. “Even in his music role, I think missions and evangelism were at the core of who he was.”
Quinn was a charter member of the Kentucky Baptist Music Conference and the Southern Baptist Church Music Conference. He also was the founding director of the Kentucky Baptist Men’s Chorale.
A graduate of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, Quinn was involved in volunteer missions in Japan, the Philippines and elsewhere.
He is survived by his wife, Phronsie; two daughters, Janice Quinn and Carla Quinn; two sons, Philip Quinn and Paul Quinn; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
His funeral service will be held March 12 at Lyndon Baptist Church. Memorial gifts may be made to the church’s mission fund.
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