Quinn, Andrew Charles Aug. 22, 1944 to July 17, 2014 Andrew Charles "Ac" Quinn, an accomplished man who cherished his family and advocated tirelessly for the interests of farmers, died Thursday, July 17, 2014 at Meeker Memorial Hospital in Litchfield, MN. He was 69. A lifelong farmer, Ac prized his "century farm", which was homesteaded in 1866 by his Irish immigrant ancestors. The agri- cultural legacy of his namesake-several generations of Andrew Charles Quinns, going back to County Offaly Ireland-was sacred to him, and he dedicated much of his personal life and passion to advancing agribusiness. He held several leadership positions in local, state and national organizations, through which he led grassroots lobbying efforts at the state and federal levels. He was instrumental in establishing the ethanol industry. He advocated on behalf of farmers while serving the ted States Department of Agriculture (USDA). He testified multiple times in front of state and federal congressional committees in support of legislation critical to farmers. He ran for public office, spoke to hundreds of audiences over the years and won numerous awards. Perhaps his is proudest professional achievement was the implementation of a farmer-owned ethanol plant, Bushmills Ethanol Inc. in Atwater, MN, producers of 65 million gallons of ethanol a year. But it was his family that made his heart sing, his darling wife of 46 years, Janet, his son, Andrew, and daughters, Shannon and Taryn. He cherished his role as a father and grandfather. A man's man with great hair, beautiful brown eyes and a powerful presence, he was an athlete, a sportsman, and thrived on time spent with family and friends. Born August 22, 1944 in Litchfield, MN, Andrew was the second of three children of Andrew Charles Quinn and Jean (Hein). He had an older brother, R. Joseph, and a younger sister, Carolyn, but exercised the privilege of affectionately addressing his mother as "Jeanie". After graduating from Litchfield High School, he earned a full football scholarship to North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND, where he graduated with a degree in business and agricultural economics. Surrounded by family at the end, Andrew reserved his last words for his wife, whispering: "Jan, are you here? Are you here, Jan?" to which she answered, "Yes, I am here." It was all he needed to know. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, at 10:30 AM at the Church of St. Philip in Litchfield, MN. Visitation will be at the church on Tuesday, July 22nd from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM, with a parish prayer service at 8:00 PM. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service on Wednesday with the K of C praying the rosary at 10:00 AM. Interment will be in the Calvary Catholic Cemetery. Andrew is survived by his wife, Janet Quinn of Litchfield; daughters, Shannon Quinn (and Dan Froiland) of Marine on St. Croix, MN, and Taryn (and James) Woods of Litchfield; grandchildren, Ellivia Woods, Grayson Woods, Brecken Woods, daughter-in-law, Reagan Quinn of Litchfield and granddaughter Sloan Quinn. He is also survived by his brother R. Joseph Quinn, wife Carole, and niece and nephew Courtney and John, and sister Carolyn Quinn VeVea, and nieces Erin, Marjorie, Jane and Elizabeth. He was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Jean Quinn and his son, Andy Quinn.