Richard Quint, A Good Businessman Who Always Put Family Matters First

"Test the waters!"

"Jump in with both feet!"

"My customers are all wet!"

Richard Bertram Quint never tired of swimming-pool jokes. The founder of Aqua-Quip Pool Supply - one of the Northwest's oldest such companies - made them as often as he could.

"Sweet and unpretentious" with an orderly streak that compelled him to wrap rubber bands around folded-up belts in his bureau drawer, Mr. Quint also never forgot losing his mother at 7 and his father at 10, or growing up needy.

He put family first, volunteered in the community, and stood ready to give employees a hand or to pay their share of health-care deductions.

Mr. Quint died of cancer Feb. 26 at 69.

"He was such a family man," said his son, Brian Quint of Bellevue, "because he never had anything like that as a child. An aunt and uncle brought him from St. Louis to Seattle in 1933, but they already had a son and struggled to keep their furniture store on First Avenue going in the Depression."

Mr. Quint graduated from West Seattle High School and attended the University of Washington. He served in the Army during World War II, married in 1947 and went to work for his wife's family's Washington Lumber Co.

When his wife's father retired in 1959, Mr. Quint took over. Wanting to diversify, he "tested the waters" by opening a pool-supply business.

In 1969, he and his wife "jumped in with both feet," selling the lumber company and getting into the pool and spa-supply business full time. They built the business to five stores.

"He saw many changes in the business," said his son. "Having a pool used to be something the elite would do, a sign of status. Now it's more recreation. Pools are a vehicle to keep your family at home."

That was important to Mr. Quint. So was helping the Arthritis Foundation, once he heard swimming was easy on the joints.

He also was active in Lions Club, B'nai B'rith, and Seattle Executive Association. At one time, he was national vice president of National Spa and Pool Institute.

"Dad served as a role model for many people in the industry," said his daughter, Kathleen Weiner of Mill Valley, Calif. "He was a very nice person to be around. He used to write funny little songs and poems for us on special occasions."

Mr. Quint was involved with Temple de Hirsch Sinai, chairing the cemetery committee that ran Hills of Eternity cemetery.

"At the dinner table, he'd talk about the equipment they'd just bought to dig graves - it fascinated him," his son said. "He used to drag my mother to cemeteries on their travels. When he got involved in nursing homes, he dragged her around to those."

For 20 years, Mr. Quint served on the board of the Carolyn Kline Galland Home, a Jewish retirement and convalescent facility. He was board president there when he died.

"We're thinking of starting a fund to build a memorial spa there," his son said. "He would like that."

Other survivors include his wife Esther Quint and his daughter Janice Soble, of Bellevue; his sister Marilyn Forse, Portland; his brother Millard Oksner, Phoenix, and five grandchildren.

Services have been held. Remembrances may be sent to Kline Galland Home, 7512 Seward Park Ave. S., Seattle WA, 98118, or to Evergreen Hospice, 12822 124th Lane N.E., Kirkland, WA 98034.