Alumni News

ALL IN THE RAMILY
A GSS Alumna's Tribute to Her Husband, A Former Fordham Law Professor

Anita Quinn ’89 MSW worked with countless young men as a social worker following her graduation from Fordham’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program, witnessing firsthand the negative effects that can follow when men don’t have mentors in their lives. 

Current popular culture is increasingly highlighting this phenomenon. Countless articles, podcasts, and news outlets have covered the “masculinity crisis” in great detail—informing the public that the issue is nationwide and getting worse. Men, they say, are falling prey not only to their own discontent with the world but to the ideals of misogynistic male influencers looking to capitalize on their vulnerability. 

Anita wants to help these young men. But they need a positive example-setter. Someone who reflects a standard society can be proud of.   

So, she wrote a book describing that someone. Niles Beach, published by Cape House Books, details the life of her late husband and former Fordham Law Professor Thomas Quinn—a man deeply devoted to his family, his work, and his spiritual journey. She believes the way Thomas lived life, and the characteristics he cultivated as a man—his gentleness, caring, spirituality, and immense intellect, among many others—can serve as a model for men who feel adrift. 

Capturing the Narrative

Thomas Quinn served in China during World War II as a young naval officer and, upon returning home, earned his law degree from Harvard. Committed to his spirituality and feeling a “call to the vocation” of the priesthood, he then entered the Society of Jesus and became a Jesuit priest. 

Throughout his time at Fordham, Thomas worked jointly with former Fordham GSS Dean Mary Ann Quaranta and former GSS Professor Virginia Strand to form an interdisciplinary relationship with Fordham Law, driven by the Jesuit tenet of cura personalis, or “care for the whole person.” Anita explained that Thomas, a lifelong advocate for those most vulnerable, connected with Quaranta and Strand over their shared values and commitment to empowering those without a voice. 

A personal triumph from Thomas’s time at Fordham involved Anita’s graduation ceremony. Fordham’s policy at the time allowed University employees to award graduation diplomas to family members. As Anita crossed the stage and into a new career, Thomas had the honor of making it official. 

What resulted is a book with a unique format, incorporating many voices to tell a profound story of discipline, altruism, and immense dedication to personal values crafted through years of care for others. 

While much of the book comprises Thomas’s letters (both to and from the man himself), perhaps the most unique aspect of the story is its first half—a first-person narrative written from Thomas’s point of view, but actually authored by his wife. Anita said it was challenging—even a bit intimidating—recreating the words of such a prolific and esteemed writer, despite having been married to him for most of her life. 

“A lot of people were surprised when they found out I’d written the first half’s narrative from his voice,” she said. “Embodying him was hard, thinking, ‘How would he say this? What would he do?’ The Holy Spirit carried me through.”

Even The Hardest Workers Need to Recharge Their Batteries  

The beach held a special place in Thomas’s heart. As a child on Long Island, Thomas enjoyed weekends at the shore with his family, splashing through the waves with his five siblings, soaking in the salty air, warm sun, and freedom that came with childhood’s innocence.  

The beach is also where Thomas met the love of his life. It was a chance encounter — Thomas had just returned from a trip to Europe and happened to stop his afternoon bike ride to watch waves lap on the shore. Once there, he spotted a young woman investigating the water, taking great interest in the marine life that inhabited the small tidal pools in the wet sand. The two spoke about their shared passion for environmental issues — a topic that would bond them for years to come. 

“I had grown up in Connecticut, by the ocean,” Anita said. “It was my passion. Thomas and I both had an appreciation for the natural world. After our retirement, we started bird-watching — traveling to Central America and Mexico [to do so].”

As he grew older and inherited the responsibilities that come with a successful career, Thomas maintained the beach as his space of self-care—often spending summer vacation back on Long Island, where it all started. 

“He used to say the beach would recharge his batteries,” Anita said. 

Finding Connection with Faith

Throughout his life, Thomas continued to find meaning and solace in his faith. He prayed the rosary daily and spent many hours writing on religion with great fervor—even when his schedule was jam-packed with professional demands. 

Faith also guided Thomas and Anita when their eldest son struggled with an autoimmune illness. The couple endured ten years and much heartache to locate the appropriate accommodations.

“It took a lot of patience, grit, and determination to find good care for him,” Anita said. 

It’s this kind of holistic commitment that Anita sought to portray in the book and hopes will inspire a new generation of young men. Anita thinks Thomas’s zeal and passion for his work, his faith, his family, and his life can serve as a guide for anyone feeling in need of a north star. 

“You can balance spirituality and be strong, useful men,” she said. “I’ve seen [spirituality]fall away [recently]. God is trying to reach us, and this is my attempt to reach others, too.”

When she reflects on the work she completed, Anita is proud. Like any good social worker, she is a storyteller—and Niles Beach captures the best of an incredible person. She likes to think Thomas would feel the same. 

“I think my husband would be pleased with the book,” she said. 

The ultimate endorsement. 

Purchase a copy of Niles Beach here.