R.I.P. Jack Quarry ...

[beddows]

Jack Quarry, notorious patriarch of the fighting Quarry clan, passed away at 4am on Saturday morning. Jack managed fighting sons "Irish" Jerry and Mike. He drummed it into his sons - mentally and physically - they had to be tougher than everyone else: in the school yard, the street, the gym; above all, in the ring. "There's no quit in a Quarry," was his mantra.
With his brutal left hook, Jerry established himself as a perennial heavyweight contender in the 60's and 70's. Victories over Floyd Patterson, Thad Spencer, Buster Mathis, Mac Foster, Earnie Shavers and Ron Lyle made him more than a Great White Hope. He also fought two epic losing battles with Smokin’ Joe Frazier, and lost twice to Muhammad Ali in a golden era for heavyweight boxing. Any other era, Quarry could have been world champ.
He died from dementia puglistica in 1999 at the age of 53.
Mike Quarry also suffers from dementia puglistica. He's close to death at 54.
At the Convention Center in Las Vegas in 1972, Mike was knocked cold in four rounds in a crack at the world light-heavyweight title.

[kikibalt]

I remember Jack and Wanda Quarry real well
may he R.I.P

Frank B.

[Ronald Lipton]

Just terrible stuff, very sad indeed.

A tough man with his boys, I remember the Love & Hate tatoo on the hands. I did not know Mike Quarry was in such a bad state also.

A sad thing for Jack when Jerry predeceased him.

Jerry was an awesome fighter to me. To beat Patterson, Spencer, Lyle, Shavers, Mac Foster, Orbillo, Daniels (Who beat Doug Jones), and so many other guys and win the National Gloves breaking jaws, says it all.

It must be just awful for Mike Quarry now.

[StingerKarl]

Jack Pascal Quarry
1922 - 2006
Jack Pascal Quarry July 14, 1922 January 21, 2006 A memorial service will be
held at Peters Funeral Home for Jack Pascal Quarry, age 83, on Wednesday,
January 25, 2006, at 4:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Shafter Memorial
Park. Jack was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma during the Depression and took to
ride the rails at 14. He boxed his way across the country where he met his
wife, Arwanda Tolbert in Shafter, CA and had 8 children. Two of his boys
Jerry and Mike went on to be world ranked boxers under his tutelage. He
himself was an honoree inductee to the Boxing Hall Of Fame. Gone on before
him, his children, James, Jerry, Brenda and granddaughter, Debi. He will be
missed by Arwanda; children, Dianna, Janet, Mike and Bobby Quarry and Wilma
Pearson; numerous grandchildren & great-grandchildren. The family will
grieve the loss of their Patriarch.Published in the Bakersfield Californian on 1/24/2006

Here is what my good friend, retired Boxing Illustrated writer Bill O'Neill had to say about Mr. Quarry:

Karl:
I will say this about him:
1) He always treated me like a gentleman.
2) In his business dealings, a HANDSHAKE was as good as a written contract.
He kept his word, and expected other people to do likewise.
3) He stood by his friends. (I can cite examples of that.)
4) He never forgot the "little people" in boxing, and was very generous with
them--trainers, conditioners, sparring partners, gym attendants.
5) He was a gutty son of a gun, who stood his ground in dealing with the
"power brokers."

Yes, he had some shortcomings, but you always knew where you stood with him.
Needless to say, I liked the man.
bon

[Chuck1052]

StingerKarl- Thank you for posting the obituary
of Jack Quarry from today's Bakersfield Californian
along with your comments. By the way, a photo
of Jack accompanies the obit on the Californian
website.

- Chuck Johnston

[GorDoom]

Bill O'Neill, former Hall of Fame president, notified me of Jack Quarry's death. Below is a news story which can be found on the Saddo Boxing site (www.saddoboxing.com).

Kind regards,

Mike Casey

Death of Jack Quarry

by Mike Casey

Jack Quarry, patriarch of the fighting Quarry clan, passed away at 4am on Saturday morning. A well known character in the fight game for many years, Jack was instrumental in steering the successful careers of sons Jerry and Mike Quarry in the sixties and seventies.

Jerry Quarry established himself as one of the great heavyweight contenders of the era with victories over Floyd Patterson, Thad Spencer, Buster Mathis, Mac Foster, Earnie Shavers and Ron Lyle. He also fought two epic losing battles with Smokin' Joe Frazier and lost twice to Muhammad Ali in a golden era for heavyweight boxing. Jerry died from pugilistic dementia in 1999 at the age of 53.

Brother Mike Quarry was a top ranking light-heavyweight of the seventies who scored quality wins over Tom Bethea, Eddie Owens, Mike Rossman, Jimmy Dupree and Andy Kendall. Mike challenged unsuccessfully for the world crown when he was knocked out in four rounds by the great Bob Foster at the Convention Center in Las Vegas in 1972. A year later, Quarry dropped a decision to English star Chris Finnegan at Wembley.

Jack Quarry's death was reported by Jerry's first wife, the former Kathleen Casey.

[rocky111]

Jack was in the Marines with a buddy of mine and he told him then that he was gonna have a kid who was gonna be a heavyweight champ. Jerry almost made it. The stuff written about Jack in that his handshake was as good as gold says alot of the man-FEW MEN HAVE THAT QUALITY. Rest in Peace Jack.

[Elwill7847]

Jack Quarry, notorious patriarch of the fighting Quarry clan, passed away at 4am on Saturday morning. Jack managed fighting sons "Irish" Jerry and Mike. He drummed it into his sons - mentally and physically - they had to be tougher than everyone else: in the school yard, the street, the gym; above all, in the ring. "There's no quit in a Quarry," was his mantra.
With his brutal left hook, Jerry established himself as a perennial heavyweight contender in the 60's and 70's. Victories over Floyd Patterson, Thad Spencer, Buster Mathis, Mac Foster, Earnie Shavers and Ron Lyle made him more than a Great White Hope. He also fought two epic losing battles with Smokin’ Joe Frazier, and lost twice to Muhammad Ali in a golden era for heavyweight boxing. Any other era, Quarry could have been world champ.
He died from dementia puglistica in 1999 at the age of 53.
Mike Quarry also suffers from dementia puglistica. He's close to death at 54.
At the Convention Center in Las Vegas in 1972, Mike was knocked cold in four rounds in a crack at the world light-heavyweight title.

Mike Quarry passed away earlier this year.