Dyrle Larkin Quick

Dyrle Larkin Quick, 87, of Wrightwood, CA died of natural causes Monday, September 22nd, at his secondary home in Long Beach.
Dyrle was born as the first son on August 24th, in Fairbury, Illinois, to Dorothy and Silas Quick. He had two younger sisters Eula Mae and Ila Jean, both deceased. He was elected president of his High School Junior Class. Moved to Bloomington Jr. year of HS where he was a star athlete in football and qualified for the state track meet in hurdles.
After graduating from Wesleyan University with a Chemistry degree, he worked on an Alaskan railroad survey team and as a firefighter, before being called up for the Army. He was trained in Petroleum School and stationed at a test facility in Canada on the Hudson Bay and in Yuma, AZ. After serving for 3 years he was hired as a civilian Petroleum chemist in Anaheim, CA. Following were several career changes including work in Mass Spectrometry, research chemistry, aerospace/ rocket research, including the Apollo project at Cape Canaveral. He also worked on an oil tanker study at sea, doing environmental scrubber research in New Mexico at the Four Corners Power Plant, one year at process control system work on the Cairo, Egypt city water plant, and teaching as a substitute teacher after earning his teaching credential through a NSF grant that turned Aerospace scientists into science teachers (one of 25 out of 600 applying). He was active in Toastmasters (excelling in humorous speeches), sailing, scuba diving (including an 800 hour training program as part of a Research Dive Team), riding his motorcycle in the mountains and as an active Ham Radio operator with participation in Ham Radio field days. His other interests included Experimental Aircraft, Soaring, RC planes, Photography, backpacking, serving as camp counselor for a Jr. High church group, and building in his wood shop.
He retired to his beloved mountain town of Wrightwood, CA, and joined the Lion's Club, volunteering at their Wrightwood Camp for deaf children, acted with the Community Thespian group Snowline Players, and set up a ham radio station as a member of the Wrightwood Emergency Communications Group. He also lived part time in Long Beach where he acted professionally with the Long Beach Playhouse, maintained a second ham radio station, attended weekly ham radio club meetings and joined a weekly writer's group. He was in the process of editing his first book, "Mr. Piper's Village" about his often-humorous experiences growing up in the tiny Midwest village of Piper City, and had started a second book on "After Piper & Career". He was a voracious reader of all things – maintaining subscriptions to multiple magazines including Smithsonian, Popular Science, Cycling, Flying, Archaeology and National Geographic and more. Dyrle was married to Patricia Ann Stearns of Paxton, Illinois until her death in 2010. He is survived by his two daughters, Susan Diane Weber of Glendora, CA, born in 1956, married to Bernard Weber, with sons Brandon, Zachary and Ian and daughter Kara Weber and Debra Ann Quick-Jones of Cardiff by the Sea, CA, born in 1958, married to Don Jones, with son Keenan Jones. He has one great grandchild, Violet Weber, daughter of first grandson Brandon Weber and his wife Katie Weber. Second grandson Zachary Weber is married to Kendra Weber.
Dyrle will be missed. He loved to tease others, with wit and humor. He kept healthy by maintaining an exercise routine that included touching his toes and daily meditations. With all his interests, the most important thing was his family. A Memorial service will be held at Forest Lawn, 21300 Via Verde Dr., in Covina on October 29th at 11:30 in the morning in the Memory Chapel. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Dyrle's name to the Timberline Lion's Club at P.O. 2003, Wrightwood, CA 92518.