Medical administrative secretary retires

Published June 23, 2010
By Steve Pivnick
81st Medical Group Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- A familiar face around the 81st Medical Group is honored today during a retirement ceremony in the hospital's Don Wylie auditorium.

Mary Quinn, secretary to the 81st MDG's chief of medical staff; chief nurse and hospital administrator for the past 13½ years, officially retires July 1 with almost 35 years of federal service.

Mrs. Quinn served as a member of the Air Force from 1974-83.

"I was an electronic technician on F-4s, becoming the first female to work on the Luke (AFB, Ariz.) flight line (in 1975)," she said. "When I enlisted, there were still (Women in the Air Force) squadrons."

After marrying husband Jim -- also an Air Force member -- in 1976, Mrs. Quinn retrained into the administrative career field where she remained until leaving the Air Force.

She entered civil service in 1985 at Altus AFB, Okla., working as a secretary in the base education office. Later she became the civil engineer squadron commander's secretary.

During her husband's assignment to Bitburg Air Base, Germany, from 1990-93, Mrs. Quinn was the secretary for the hospital's chief of medical staff. Moving to Keesler in 1993, she worked as the secretary for the 403rd Wing's recruiters before moving to the 81st MDG in 1996.

"I started as secretary to the chief of medical staff and chief nurse two days before Christmas," she recalled. She later added the hospital administrator to her "staff." "This is the longest I've been in one job. I've worked for six chiefs of medical staff, six chief nurses and three administrators."

Recalling her affiliation with the facility, Mrs. Quinn observed, "It's been memorable watching the hospital grow, not so much the building but the people. I've seen them leave and return saying to me, 'Mrs. Quinn, you're still here?' A lot of people have come and gone; there have been many group and squadron changes of command and retirements over the years."

The Toledo, Ohio, native has been looking forward to retirement.

"I plan to rest for a while, doing a lot of nothing. I'll stay around the house getting the yard and my garden in shape."

Her husband, who retired as a master sergeant in 1995, left his Keesler contract position with ITT on May 1.

"He's looking forward to having me home. I love to cook and he's ready for me to break out the cookbooks. We eventually want to travel to Ireland, Italy and places beyond."

The Quinns reside in Ocean Springs. Their son Jimmy, 28, is a microbiologist with the Mississippi Department of Health in Jackson.

Summing up her long federal career, Mrs. Quinn remarked, "It's been a wild ride and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I'm ready to start the next phase of my life. It's time."