Keith Farnam Quail |
| Posted 2008-07-26 by Judy Wight Branson |
| Keith F. Quail - 1913 - 2005 Keith Quail of Prescott died October 6, 2005, on his 92nd birthday. He is survived by his wife, Geri Quail (formerly Geri Schott), daughter Sandra Nitsche of Evergreen, Colo,, daughter Barbara Malone of Lubbock, Texas, eight grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, stepsons Brian Schott of Lufkin, Texas, and Stephen Schott of Prescott. He was born in Douglas, Arizona on October 6, 1913. At age 5, his family moved to Topeka, Kansas to engage in farming and ranching. Quail graduated from Washburn University in Topeka in 1937. While in law school, he served as law clerk to the presiding Judge of US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and law clerk to a Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court. Immediately after law school, he moved to Albuquerque, NM where he became law clerk to Judge Sam Bratton, the Chief Judge of the US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals. After two years of service, he became tax trial attorney for the New Mexico Bureau of Revenue and also entered the private practice of law. In 1942 he enlisted in the US Army as a private in the infantry. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in 1943 and was sent to India to join the American segment of a joint British-American Task Force under the command of a British General. The task force was being trained to take Burma and defend India from the Japanese who had invaded China and Burma and had driven the British forces from Burma. His specific duty was to assist in training 60 and 80MM mortar crews in the jungles of Burma without the use of customary sights and heavy iron base plates. The American element of this Task Force later served successfully in Burma and became known as Merrill?s Marauders. He was awarded a bronze star based on his service during the war. Upon his return to the US in 1945, Quail was commissioned in the regular Army and stationed at Ft Benning, and married Mary Ellen Scott (Scottie), a US Army nurse whom he met when hospitalized in Assam, India. She preceded him in death in 1987. At Ft Benning he was enrolled as a student in the Field Grade Officer's School and served as the second in command of an infantry battalion. He played polo and was listed with a handicap by the national polo organization. In 1937, he resigned as a Lt. Colonel and became a member of the Arizona Bar and moved to Prescott to establish the law firm of Favour and Quail. From October 1, 1947 to Jan 1, 1999, Keith practiced law in Prescott. He was president of the Yavapai County Bar, served on the Board of Directors of the Arizona State Bar and was president of the Arizona State Bar in 1956-1957. Keith was Arizona State Chairman of American Trial Lawyers Association, a fellowship member in Internatinal Academy of Trial Lawyers and fellowship member of International Society of Barristers. After arriving in Prescott, Keith learned to rope and enjoyed team roping with instruction from Chuck Sheppard, George Goswick and Dr Jack Fletcher. His interest in ranching resulted in his becoming president of the Yavapai Cattle Grower's Association and a life member thereof. He also became interested in flying. This increased his mobility as a trial lawyer and his logbook reflects 650 hours as a pilot of a multi-engine airplane. While living in Prescott he devoted much of his time to civic affairs. He was a member of the Board of Directors and Vice-president of the Yavapai College Foundation, Captain of Yavapai Mounted Sheriff?s Posse, President of White Mountain Range Riders, legal counsel for the Foundation of the First Congregational Church Foundation and a substantial financial contributor to various charitable organizations. In 1994 Quail became trustee of a one million dollar trust created by James LeGate, a friend and client whose purpose was to establish an endowed Chair in the Nursing and Allied Health Dept of Yavapai College. This trust funded equipment for and instruction of nursing students and nursing scholarships. This is the only endowed Chair in a community college in Arizona. Memorial Service for Mr Quail will be Wednesday, Oct 12, 10:30 am at the First Congregational Church at Gurley and Alarcon. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the First Congregational Church Foundation in the name of Keith F. Quail, attention Roland Wood, President. Private burial will be at Heritage Memorial Park in Dewey with arrangements entrusted to Heritage Memory Mortuary Prescott, Az. Heritage Memory Mortuary, Prescott, Arizona. |
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