Gavin F. Quill

Gavin Quill passed away January 28, 2025 in Des Moines, Iowa. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 1, 2025 at Valley Church, 4343 Fuller Road in West Des Moines, IA with family receiving friends from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Burial at Resthaven Cemetery in West Des Moines at 12:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

Gavin F. Quill was born as a middle child to Nuala and Francis Quill on September 20 of 1963 along with his twin brother, Sean in Red Bank, New Jersey. His other siblings included his sisters Colleen, the firstborn, and Dervila, the youngest. Gavin greatly loved his family and he grew in his own capacity to love others because of them.

Gavin’s love found new heights as he married Rachel on December 12 of 1987. His love again evolved as he became a father to Eileen in 1990, and then Daniel in 1997. Being a husband and father were the greatest duties of his life, reflecting God’s heart to his very own. Becoming a grandfather to Iliana in 2022, brought a new layer of love to his already big heart.

Gavin wore love on his sleeves, forming relationships with anyone in close proximity to him. His ability to be intentional and relatable with every person he met made him incredibly memorable. His follow through the next time he saw you, with details and connections, made you feel like the most important person in the world.

His love for his family and others was anchored in his love for Jesus Christ. He would characterize this overflow by his personal awe for God’s nature and character, God’s creative and sustaining works, His love for us, and His redemption through Jesus Christ.

No matter what Gavin was involved in, he believed giving his best effort was the effort that everyone around him deserved. At Manalapan High School in New Jersey, those efforts drove him to become the Cross-Country Team Captain, Class Vice President, and Salutatorian. His desire to lead people grew in interest through his involvement in the school newspaper and student government.

Gavin’s passion for excellence led him to enroll at Harvard University to pursue a Government undergraduate degree in 1981. His natural inclination to be involved in worthy causes continued to develop as he poured time into hosting international students, the Harvard Republican Club, and many Christian ministries.

Through his twelve years with Scudder Kemper Investments, Gavin rose to the level of Vice-President in three different departments. Gavin was a mover and shaker, sitting in one seat or role was never satisfactory for him – he always believed he could add more value to people and systems. So began his output of a copious number of writings that were published anywhere from the Wall Street Journal, CNN, USA Today, Reuters, and more.

Prolific does not begin to describe the absorbent and curious mind of Gavin Quill. His delight in the Lord drew Gavin to pursue a double Master’s in Divinity and Biblical Archaeology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where he also received three seminary awards as the top student for Preaching, Theology, and Church History.

Next was his pursuit of a Juris Doctor at Drake Law School from 2009 to 2011. Learning a new sector of professional skill came naturally to Gavin. It was easy for him to invest time and energy into becoming a wealth of knowledge about something he cared deeply about. While pursuing his degree, he began working with the Iowa Courts and eventually joined Faegre Baker Daniels Law Firm where he specialized in financial services litigation and successfully defended some of the largest financial institutions in the country.

But his learning didn’t stop there. In an early retirement, Gavin was determined to finish his career doing what he would repeatedly note as the most important work of his life – teaching students at Des Moines Christian (DMC). He started as a substitute teacher in 2023, taking on every job possible and quickly winning the hearts and minds of the students and faculty by consuming entire books overnight to be prepared for lessons the next day. In the Fall of 2024, Gavin was hired as a Spanish teacher in the high school at DMC.

He wore a polite fierceness that held fast and true to everything and everyone he believed in. Gavin would go to great lengths to ensure he showed up for, served, and followed through with these people and organizations. His dedication to his faith in Jesus inspired him into ceaseless years of service ranging from representing a family seeking asylum from Russia for religious persecution, teaching religious seminars at universities, hosting a talk show for Christian radio, and countless roles as a counselor, deacon, elder, and preacher.

Serving Valley Church gave Gavin great joy. His loyal service was felt at church across numerous ministries and by countless people. Some of his favorite highlights were alongside Pastor Quintin, reading and analyzing books for him, as well as co-teaching an all-church class on Revelation and traveling to India to train 125 Indian pastors.

Gavin’s time on earth was cut short with the diagnosis and effects of lymphoma. His impact on everyone he loved was profoundly deep and wide. Receiving over 200 notes from students, he was intentional to write back to each of them expressing his gratitude, while edifying them for who God created them to be. He continued this loving effort for students, friends, and family into his last days, consistently dedicated to leading, learning, loyalty, and loving to the end.

Gavin loved Jesus, his wife Rachel, his daughter Eileen, his son Daniel, his granddaughter Iliana, and his students at the Des Moines Christian School.

Gavin is preceded in death by his parents, Nuala and Francis. He is survived by his wife, Rachel; his daughter, Eileen; and granddaughter, Iliana; his son, Daniel; his brother, Sean; and his sisters, Colleen and Dervila.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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