Paul Quitney

Paul Quitney, 86, of Sun City, Arizona, formerly of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, passed away on March 9, 2026, at Royal Oaks Life Care Community in Sun City.

Born on January 3, 1940, in Lowry, Minnesota, to Roy and Ruth Quitney, Paul graduated from high school in Glenwood and earned his teaching degree from St. Cloud State University. He began his career in 1961 at Grand Rapids Middle School, teaching mathematics until 1981, when he transferred to the high school. He continued teaching math until his retirement in 1996. In July of 1964, he married Jane Murphy.

Paul loved the outdoors and spent many hours fishing, hunting, and playing baseball, softball, and golf. After retiring, he discovered a passion for woodworking. Their home is filled with his beautiful handcrafted furniture and many smaller decorative and useful pieces, and he generously shared his creations with family and friends. Known for his ingenuity, Paul had a remarkable ability to design and build tools for any task, often fashioning what he called “Uncle Paul Gimps” or “UPGs”—functional, if not always elegant, solutions that reflected his practical nature.

In 2006, Paul and Jane began spending winters in Sun City, Arizona, returning to their home near Grand Rapids each summer. They relocated permanently to Sun City in 2019. Throughout his life, Paul remained a devoted fan of the Minnesota Twins, Vikings, and University of Minnesota Gophers.

He is survived by his wife Jane, sisters Helen Hoium and Ruth McIver, many nieces and nephews, sister-in-law Mary Lillesve, and nephew Doug Lillesve (Carol Jenkins). No services are planned.