Obituary of Barbara A. Quinting

Dr. Barbara A. Quinting Barbara Adelheid Rathke Quinting, D.Phil.Nat., died Saturday, November 21, 2015, at her home in Clawson, Michigan. Dr. Quinting was born on February 14, 1923, in Scharfenort near Freistadt Danzig on the Baltic Sea. A voracious reader, her lifelong commitment to learning began in childhood. Graduating from college at the Danzig Insitute of Technology, she went on to study under Prof. Otto Steinbck at the University of Innsbruck Zoological Institute. Forced to flee Austria near the end of World War II, she completed her Doctor of Natural Philosophy in biology from the University of Erlangen in 1948, her thesis title being On the Biology of Hexamermis Albicans. Throughout her life, Barbara kept strong family ties and friendships with those in Germany despite an ocean of separation after she immigrated. She made many visits over the decades to Germany to see family and take part in several class reunions with grammar school classmates. Dr. Quinting came first to Canada in 1955, November 26 that year marrying Franz Gerhardt Rudolf "Rudi" Quinting, a mechanical engineer, in Toronto. The couple immigrated to southeast Michigan, where they reared their two children, divorcing after many years. He died in 2002. Barbara's studies continued in the United States, with her obtaining a teacher's certificate from Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan, where Prof. Norman Roseman introduced her to progressive concepts in teaching, including those of the renowned Summerhill School. After student teaching at the Cranbrook Institute, she taught science at the high school level near her home. A strong interest in philosophy and language, tempered with the needs of family, lead Dr. Quinting to technical translation work at Volkswagen of America, Inc., and during her very active retirement as a freelancer. Known to colleagues as "Barb", she helped co-found the Michigan Translators/Interpreters Network (MiTiN). Her professional relationships very often grew into close, lasting friendships. An outdoorswoman, she particularly enjoyed the mountains, often hiking and skiing. She was also an avid swimmer and exercised and walked regularly well into her later years, which showed her active commitment to good health. Most of all, she was devoted to her two sons, giving them every opportunity to grow and learn so they may live lives as rich as hers. Barbara was predeceased by her parents, Johannes "Hans" Rathke, a banker, and his wife, ne Margarete Emilie "Gretel" Zindel. She is survived by her two sons, Gregory Quinting of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Michael Quinting of Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan; and in Germany, her sister, Dorothea "Dorla" Baess (Jrgen) of Dresden; niece, Sabine Baess-Marbach (Olaf) of Oranienburg, and nephew, Klaus Baess of Dresden. Memorial service at The Community House, 380 South Bates Street, Birmingham, Michigan 48009-3366, Sunday, January 10, 2016. Visitation 1:00 p.m., followed by service at 2:00 p.m. Online guest book http://www.cremationmichigan.com. Her ashes will be scattered in a private, family ceremony. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Michigan (www.hom.org), 989 Spaulding S.E., Ada, MI 49301-3701 or Michigan Humane Society (www.michiganhumane.org), 30300 Telegraph Road, Suite 220, Bingham Farms, MI 48025-4507. Please sign Barbara's online guest book.