The hackberry tree planted near the intersection of Main Street South and Ninth Place SW can’t fail.

Saturday, April 28, 2001

The hackberry tree planted near the intersection of Main Street South and Ninth Place SW can’t fail.

"This tree will do wonderfully," Annette Quinlan said, "He’ll make sure."

The guardian angel for the tree is Dave Quinlan, who died Nov. 30 at the age of 52. Both his knowledge and appreciation of the outdoors – especially trees – were only two of many attributes that made Quinlan stand out in any circle of friends.

In a fitting tribute to Quinlan, members of Spruce Up Austin Inc. planted a hackberry tree in his memory on Friday, which was Arbor Day.

Quinlan was a Mower County Extension Service educator for the University of Minnesota for eight years. He held bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Iowa State University, taught vocational agriculture classes at Farragut, Iowa, and served as an Iowa State University Extension Service educator at Tama and Boone in Iowa.

Throughout the Quinlan family’s time in Austin, Quinlan endeared himself to everyone.

Whether it was performing his duties as an Extension Service educator, Master Gardener or helping write the county’s landmark feedlot regulations, his professionalism and respect for the environment were evident.

"When we first moved to Austin," his wife Annette said, "we would go house hunting and he would say ‘Look at those trees!’ and I would have to look inside the home. He so much loved trees and all of the outdoors."

Quinlan also endeared himself to Spruce Up Austin Inc. and earned members’ respect, according to Mike Ruzek, the organization’s special projects coordinator.

According to Ruzek, Quinlan’s knowledge and enthusiasm for planting things were infectious.

"Today, Arbor Day is a time to focus on the importance of trees and the value and beauty they bring to us," Ruzek said. "Dave Quinlan had that attitude all year around and thought that every day should be an Arbor Day. His enthusiasm for trees could rub off on you, whenever he talked about them."

According to Ruzek, the hackberry tree is native to most of the United States and southern Canada and are extremely easy to establish. They grow moderately fast when young. The tree planted in memory of Quinlan was 2 inches in diameter and between 6 and 8 feet all. It is expected to reach a height of 25 to 30 feet when mature.

Hackberries are related to elms and have similarly shaped leaves, usually saw-toothed that turn pale yellow in fall before dropping.

Annette Quinlan and her daughter, Alicia, a 1999 graduate of Austin High School and the youngest of five children, expressed the family’s appreciation for the gesture. They also threw the first shovels of dirt to plant the tree.

Then, one by one, friends and others joined in the planting ceremony.

Austin Mayor Bonnie Rietz, a Spruce Up Austin Inc. member, joined other members, including Paul Boisjolie, Jim Larson, Bonnie Mogen, Dennis Maschka, Lee Bonorden and Ruzek. Also participating were Marilyn Vereide, wife of Woody Vereide, Mower County auditor and a close friend of the deceased, and Len Miller, Mower County Fourth District commissioner, another close friend.

A similar planting ceremony to honor the popular Extension Service educator will be conducted by Mower County at a later date.

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com.