In four years of battling colon cancer, Officer Lanny Quinn never let it shut him down in any capacity.
By LEANORA MINAI
Published June 8, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - Even as he battled cancer, police Officer Lanny Quinn worked his beat.
He fielded phone calls from his hospital bed about drug dealers and prostitutes. When he felt up to it, he would hit the street to make arrests.
During his four-year battle with cancer, Mr. Quinn scored his first hole-in-one and turned 40.
It was his last birthday.
Mr. Quinn, the 2001 Officer of the Year who was among the city's first community police officers, died Monday (June 7, 2004).
"He was an incredible fighter," said Lisa Quinn, 39, his wife of 161/2 years. "He fought it with grace. He never complained."
Mr. Quinn spent 17 years as a police officer. He won the Rotary Club's Ned March in 1995. He collected his Officer of the Year award during a two-hour pass from St. Anthony's Hospital.
He began his police career as an intern from Florida State University. He was later hired as a patrol officer, then became a community officer in 1990.
Mr. Quinn patrolled the University Park neighborhood, which runs from Fourth Street S to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Fifth Avenue S to First Avenue S. Drugs and prostitution were his specialties.
"He eradicated crack houses out of that neighborhood," said Sgt. Gary Robbins, his supervisor and close friend. "It's gone from one of the most dismal neighborhoods to an up-and-coming downtown condo area. The guy has done nothing but work that whole area."
Mary Ann Lynch, a University Park resident, said Mr. Quinn aggressively fought drugs and prostitution.
"He would literally go up and knock on their door and confront crack heads," she said.
Mr. Quinn was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in 2000, but he continued to work his beat on and off until March of this year. He lost more than 70 pounds and underwent several surgeries but did not let the relentless disease shut him down.
Once an avid golfer with a 3 handicap, Mr. Quinn attended Buccaneers games and Lightning playoff matches. He traveled to Seattle with his wife.
For his 40th birthday May 14, he celebrated the weekend with family and friends and dined at Ruth's Chris Steak House. He ate his favorite, filet mignon.
"When I say he fought it with grace, it was Lanny still wanting to go to work," Mrs. Quinn said. "Lanny still wanting to do things, have friends, go on vacation. Living life to the fullest."
Sgt. Tim Montanari said after being diagnosed with cancer, Mr. Quinn grew more spiritual.
"Lanny was a no-nonsense cop," Montanari said. "He changed to such a loving man and friend. He cared more about how I was feeling, and here he was sitting in a hospital bed with 50 tubes in him."
Police Chief Chuck Harmon visited Mr. Quinn on Saturday at St. Anthony's Hospital. Harmon has lost three officers to cancer since his appointment in 2001.
"It doesn't get any easier," Harmon said. "We're all walking around with heavy hearts."
Mr. Quinn died at 6 a.m., surrounded by family and police officers who sang and read scripture beside his bed.
