A celebration of life is planned Saturday, Oct. 8, for James Clifford Quaintance, a former Scotts Valley and Felton resident, who died Sept. 8 in Mountain View. He was 53.
Mr. Quaintance was born in Riverside. He also lived in Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Torrance; and Saugus. He was a resident of Scotts Valley from third grade through college and lived in Felton from 1984 to 2003.
He achieved his Eagle Scout rank at age 17 after joining Scotts Valley Boy Scout Troop 604 in 1969. He worked in food service staff at Mount Hermon Christian Conference Center and went from dishwasher to catering chief at Redwood Camp.
Mr. Quaintance graduated from Soquel High School in 1976, attending Cabrillo College and California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1982.
He worked at Lockheed Martin and married in 1983 and had two children, who were raised in Felton.
Family said Mr. Quaintance loved to make people laugh. He made frequent trips to Disneyland, loved to cook and liked to go to Capitola and eat “beach pizza.”
Those who knew him said Mr. Quaintance loved the Minnesota Vikings and was preparing for the NFL’s opening day when he died. He liked to jog, ski, fish, camp and participate in triathlons. He skydived over the Monterey Bay. Mr. Quaintance enjoyed driving his red Saleen Mustang and chauffeured the grand marshal in the Memorial Day Parade in 2003. He attended Santa Cruz Bible Church and Venture Church in Los Gatos.
Mr. Quaintance is survived by his children, Alan James Quaintance of Boulder Creek and Alyssa Marie Quaintance of Felton; mother, Marilyn Quaintance of Scotts Valley; and brother, Paul Quaintance of Ada, Mich.
He was preceded in death by his father, Clifford Ivan Quaintance; and brother, Scott Dean Quaintance.
A graveside service was conducted at Santa Cruz Memorial Cemetery, followed by a service on board the Chardonnay to place his ashes in Monterey Bay. Friends will gather to celebrate his life at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Quaintance home in Felton.
Contributions for a memorial bench in Mr. Quaintance’s honor may be sent to Wells Fargo Bank, 100 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley, CA 95066.
