John P. Quigley

John Peter Quigley, 80, formerly of Glastonbury and recently of Niantic, passed away peacefully on August 22, 2024 losing his battle against cancer. His final days were spent surrounded by his wife Paula (Puzzo) of 57 years, his children, grandchildren, extended family and friends.

In addition to his wife, John is survived by his three sons, James, Kevin, daughter-in-law Laura (Karwan), and Michael and daughter-in-law Dana (McLellan), as well as his nine grandchildren; Aidan, Brendan, Marin, Bridget, Tanner, Taejin, Jack, Kate, and Emily Quigley. He is also survived by his brother, Michael Quigley; his sister Anne (Quigley) Lawler and many extended family members. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his sister-in-law, Sara Quigley and his brother-in-law, Jack Lawler.

John was born on July 11, 1944, in Hartford and was the youngest child of the late George and Nancy (McCaw) Quigley. John grew up in the North End of Hartford and attended Saint Michael’s Elementary School, and Cathedral High School until transferring to Hartford Public High School his junior year. John was an avid runner, competing successfully in the mile. He loved to tell stories from his childhood, about summers camping at Rocky Neck State Park with his family and tales of getting into trouble with friends. Most infamously, John would recount the time he walked home from school in second grade, only to find his family had moved! John received a bachelor’s degree from Central Connecticut State College in 1964. He served in the Army Reserve from 1966 to 1972, ready to be called into active duty during the Vietnam War era. In September 1967, John married his high school sweetheart, Paula Puzzo, who met in ninth grade homeroom at Cathedral High School.

John remained active throughout his adult life. He continued with his love for running, participating in races like the Manchester Thanksgiving Day Road Race, Sydney’s City to Surf, and countless others. He pursued his love for competition playing tennis, becoming Aetna’s Squash champion, and he never turned down a game of pickup basketball. He was Hartford’s self-proclaimed “greatest natural shooter that ever lived.” John was the eternal family man: Though he never played baseball or soccer, he quickly volunteered to coach his sons’ teams. He never missed an opportunity to support not only his boys, but also all the kids in the neighborhood. John was a significant role model, showing what it meant to put family first.

Employed by Aetna Life and Casualty for twenty-four years, John spent most of his career in the Hartford Home office. He held the positions of V.P. of Long-Term Marketing, Director of Health Insurance Marketing, and Chief Underwriter. In 1980, during his tenure at Aetna, John packed up his family and moved to Sydney, Australia as he was given the opportunity to help set up their disability insurance program. The Quigleys lived “down under” for the better part of two years. After leaving Aetna, John enjoyed many more years of employment at The Travelers, Avon Long Term Care, and Manulife-John Hancock Life Insurance Company. John officially retired from the insurance business in 2006 but continued to work using his expertise in medical underwriting to review applications for upscale assisted living communities.

Family and relationships were of utmost importance to John. He had unconditional love for his grandchildren, and they were the light of his world. Quick to attend a ballgame or performance, John didn’t miss an opportunity to be with them or give them advice; sometimes when they didn’t ask for it. He and Paula would visit Hilton Head every winter to visit his southern grandchildren and be a beacon for visitors from the north. He enjoyed walking around Niantic and striking up conversations with the locals, voting him the unofficial “mayor” of Niantic. He loved watching the trains and sitting at the marinas. The Dock Restaurant on the Niantic River was one of his favorite spots to visit. He could often be found on his boat, Cool Change, and loved to take trips to Greenport and Block Island.

John received compassionate care from the staff at Hartford Hospital and Bride Brook Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, and we are eternally grateful for the care and love they gave John.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 22 Haigh Avenue, Niantic, at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 13. Burial will be private and there are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, donations in John’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society, 111 Founders Plaza, 2nd Floor, East Hartford, CT 06108 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. The D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, Wethersfield has been entrusted with the arrangements. To share a memory of John, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com