By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
A memorial service for Tracey “Mr. Q.” Quarne is well into the planning stages.
Tracey Jay Quarne, 68, known to many as “Mr. Q.”, died Sunday, June 30, 2024, following a vehicle accident south of Minot, North Dakota. The longtime Glenn County educator and community leader was a resident of Bismarck in his home state of North Dakota at the time of his death.
Quarne was born in Williston, N. Dak., to Erwin and Gloria (Orser) Quarne on February 17, 1956. He lived in several areas of North Dakota during his childhood and graduated from Minot High School in 1974.
He furthered his education by attending college at Minot State University, where he received a teaching degree. He also attended Bemidji State College for one year.
He taught in Cavalier, No. Dak., and Surrey, No. Dak.
On August 16, 1985, he married Kathy Burt in Minot. A daughter, Alexandra, was born to them.
The couple divorced in 1996.
In 1995, Quarne relocated to Orland, Calif., and lived there until 2022. While in Orland, he worked as an educator and was perhaps best known as a music teacher at Orland High School.
He was very involved in his community and actively supported such organizations as the Rotary Club, the Orland Patriots, and the Glenn Chorale. In November of 2004, he was elected to the Orland City Council.
A couple of years later, he became a member of the Glenn County Board of Supervisors. Then, in 2010, he was elected as the Glenn County Superintendent of Schools, an office he held for more than a decade.
He is survived by his daughter, Alexandra, of Bismarck, No. Dak.; grandchildren Cru and Ava Enno, both of Bismarck; sister Sarah Pitcher of Willows, Calif.; nephew Joshua and his daughter, Emma, both of Orland; and stepmother Lorna Quarne of Los Angeles. He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and several aunts and uncles.
A memorial service, still in the organizational stages, is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 3, inside the Orland Memorial Hall. It is expected that hundreds of people will be in attendance.
Check The Glenn County Observer for possible updates.
The Glenn County Observer 