Joanne E. (Olszewska) Quinlan

Joanne E. (Olszewska) Quinlan, age 81, of Chesapeake City, MD and formerly of Newark, DE, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s residence where she resided for the last several years, on Wednesday, February 10, 2016.

Born in Wilmington, DE on August 22, 1934, Joni was a daughter of the late Walenty and Eleanora (Chlebowski) Olszewska.

A devout Catholic, she was a founding parishioner of Holy Family Church in Newark. Joni gave freely of her time and talents to her church where she served as a Eucharistic minister and also participated in many groups, including the Lazarus Society. She shared her love of good food by working in the parish kitchens of St. John’s-Holy Angels and Holy Family. In her leisure time, Joni enjoyed spending time outdoors gardening and reading for hours upon hours. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, beloved sister and adoring grandmother and will be very dearly missed.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John David Quinlan who died in 1972 and a granddaughter, Laura Quinlan. Joni is survived by her daughter, Susanne Gonzales and significant other, Samy Hamza, whom she loved like a son, of Chesapeake City, MD; sons, Michael S. Quinlan of Redlands,CA, Larry Quinlan (Lisa) of Cedar City, UT and Kevin P. Quinlan of Greenville, WI; brother, Edward J. Olszewski of Elsmere, DE; sister, Irene Rucinski of Wilmington, DE; 7 grandchildren; and 5 great grandchildren.

Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11:30 am on Monday morning, February 15, 2016, at Holy Family R.C. Church, E. Chestnut Hill and Gender Roads, Newark, DE, where a visitation will be held from 10 am until 11:30 am. Interment will follow in All Saints Cemetery, 6001 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, DE.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Joni’s memory may be made to the Lazarus Society, c/o Holy Family Church, 15 Gender Rd., Newark, DE 19713.