Quentin Donigan (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Quentin Leslie Donigan, son of William John and Mary Janet Holmes Donigan, was born December 1, 1921, in Plainview, Nebraska. He departed this life Wednesday, November 21, 2012, in his home, near Lebanon, Missouri, at the age of ninety years, eleven months, and twenty days.
On April 12, 1947, he was united in marriage to Pauline Hoskins, and to this union two daughters were born.
He was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Keith, Sterling, Dwain, and Gary Donigan; three sisters, Elaine Donigan, in infancy, Evelyn Ivey, and Ardeth Ragsdale; and a son-in-law, Danny Pollock.
Quentin is survived by his loving wife of sixty-five years, Pauline, of the home; two daughters, Gayla Johnson, and her husband, John, of Lebanon, Missouri, and Jeana Gilby, and her husband, Darin, of Falcon, Missouri; six grandchildren, Rachel Buske, & her husband, Robert, of Falcon, Missouri, Ranita Allee, & her husband, Adam, Danielle Shoemaker, & her husband, Ryan, Tyler Pollock, & his fiancée, Stephanie Knowles, Stephanie Martinson, & her husband, Mike, all of Lebanon, Missouri, and David Johnson, & his wife, Chi, of Alaska; ten grandchildren, Austin Buske, Noah, Saige & Ellen Simmonds, Matthew Shoemaker, Haylee & Shafer Martinson, and Matthew, Sophia, Ella, & Olivia Johnson; three brothers, Lee Donigan, & his wife, Ellalene, of Lompoc, California, Allen Donigan, of Rulo, Nebraska, and William Donigan, of Ft. Mojave, Arizona; a sister, Ruth Meisenheimer, of St. Louis, Missouri; four sisters-in-law, Rhona, Shirley, Lela & Margaret Donigan; a number of nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
Quentin’s family moved from Nebraska to the Lebanon area in 1933. He then graduated from Lebanon High School in the Class of 1939. In October of 1942, he enlisted in the Navy Seabees and served in the South Pacific during World War II, receiving an honorable discharge in January of 1946.
After he was discharged from the military, he worked at various jobs around Lebanon until May of 1961, when he went to work for the United States Postal Service for seven years at Fort Leonard Wood. He then transferred to the Lebanon Post Office, retiring in April of 1985 after twenty-four years.
Quentin made his profession of faith in Christ at the age of seventeen, and was a faithful member of Emmanuel Chapel Bible Church for sixty years. He was very active in all aspects of the church, and as a deacon for many years. Quentin enjoyed the fellowship of his church family and had played on the church's softball team until he was seventy-eight years old.
In 1948, Quentin and Pauline moved to a farm north of Lebanon, near Dove, Missouri, where they started a dairy operation which they continued for many years. During this time Quentin was a member of various dairy associations, served on the Laclede County School Board, and was a 4-H leader. After they sold the dairy herd, Quentin began buying beef cattle. Polled Herefords were his breed of choice and he was a respected member of the Polled Hereford Association.
After his retirement, he continued farming, and as some said, “collecting cattle”, until one extra cold winter when the ice was so thick that he could hardly chop through it, and he told himself, “you old man, you don’t have to do this anymore”, and he sold his herd. He continued to be active on the farm and cutting his own firewood until his stroke in 2010.
Quentin was a man of few words, but when he did speak, you better listen. He was a man of strong faith and steadfast character and was respected for his work ethic and the helping hand he gave to many.
Quentin will be remembered and treasured in the hearts of many. Whether you called him husband, father, grandpa, brother, uncle, or friend, there are sure to be memories that will bring a smile to your face and laughter to your heart.
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