Samuel W. McQuade Jr.

Our dad wrote his own obituary. It read as follows:

Sam McQuade lived and then Sam McQuade died. That’s it. That’s what he wanted to say.

The irony, of course, is that if you knew Sam McQuade, you knew he was a natural-born storyteller. So much so that we once encouraged him to write it all down in a book. He did. Then he wrote six more. And he would have kept going if his body hadn’t started to fail him. If he were here right now, he’d probably say, “Don’t play high school football”—as if that was the simple answer to all his problems. But he didn’t like obituaries. We’re not sure why he didn’t want to take one more opportunity to tell one last good story. But there you have it. So, we’ll respect his wishes by keeping it short—but we do have a few things to say. Sam McQuade did live, and he lived well. He was often the life of the party, loved to travel, and loved going out to dinner with family and friends, telling all his jokes and stories. In French, we call that a bon vivant. And if you want to read all about his life, we encourage you to order one of his books—and dig in. Or order all seven. The proceeds go to charity. Fair warning: there will be embellishments. There will be inaccuracies.

Our mom, who preceded him in death in January of 2023, will be rolling her eyes somewhere, saying he’s full of something. But that’s all part of the fun—and it will tell you so much about who he was to all of us left here, trying (and failing miserably) to fill the void. He’s leaving behind so many who loved him: his two daughters (Shannon and Kelly), their spouses (Dale and James), his beloved grandkids (Samantha, Cameron, Ian, Lexi, Cullen, and Nevin), and his great-grandson (Rory). He’s also leaving behind countless friends who shared his love of the arts, his community, travel, and truly living life. His legacy of giving lives on through the Sam McQuade Sr. Charity Softball Tournament and many other charities. And, of course, he’s leaving behind his stories—embellishments and all. For that, we are so grateful.

If you would like to pay your respect and in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the McQuade Softball Charities. Checks can be made out to McQuade Softball Charities and mailed to 1150 Industrial Drive, Bismarck, ND 58501.