Ann Vandiver O'Quinn

       Ann went to be with the Lord on January 30, 2025 while at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem, NC. Ann and husband Bob were longtime residents of Johnson City, TN but had moved to Bermuda Run, a retirement community near their daughter, Debbie Emert in February of 2022. More recently, in 2024, Debbie moved them in with her in Advance, NC. They were very happy there but declining health took its toll and Ann was admitted to Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home, where she passed away. Ann was a remarkable lady. She loved everyone and always went out of her way to help others. In fact, that is her life story! Always doing for others.

        She was born April 1, 1939 and had the same birthday as her mother and grandson Lance. She grew up in Spartanburg, SC with her mother, brother and grandparents. She had an incredible gift of music and by age 3, she was playing the piano completely by ear! Her life with music, a gift she shared with many. As a teen in Spartanburg, she was a leader in her church and in the denomination itself. She was elected head of the Presbyterian Youth Conference in SC and spent a lot of time of this time in Montreat leading and organizing youth conferences. After graduating from Spartanburg High School in 1957, Ann attended Queens College in Charlotte. She graduated in 1961 with a music education major. While at Queens, she was elected Student Body President, served on the Honor Council, was a student legislator, a member of the choir and was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. 

         After graduation, she and Bob, her high school sweetheart, were married and moved to Clemson while Bob finished his Ceramic Engineering Degree. They moved to Clemson in 1962. Bob was trained at the White Sands Missile Range in White Sands, NM with the U.S. Army. From there, they went to Mt. Holly, NJ where Bob commanded a Nike Missile Battery part of the Philadelphia Air Defense Command. It was there where their daughter, Deborah Ann was born in 1964. After Bob completed his military obligations, they moved to Johnson City, TN where Bob began his career with General Shale Products. While they moved several times with General Shale, they always considered Johnson City their home and indeed retired there in 2003. She and Bob had close friends everywhere they lived. One of their special groups was their “Clemson Group”. These were couples who they had known in Clemson and they gathered at least once a year for football games and social time. Ann cherished that time, although she was not a particularly avid football fan! She liked to visit with her special people and tolerated Bob’s boisterous cheering! 

        Over the years, Ann was actively involved in her church, Munsey United Methodist. She was deeply involved in their music ministry, and a very active member of her Sunday School class plus many other things. Likewise, she was a volunteer at Retirement Centers, playing piano and performing for residents. She just loved helping other people. In 1990, her mother had a serious stroke. Ann was adamant that she would come and live with Bob in Johnson City, so they built the “Nana Suite” in their home and for 11 years, Ann and Bob took great care of her mother until she passed away on January 29, 2001. Ann often said that time was some of the best of her life! One of the great joys of her life was always family! She was a loving, caring, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and daughter. She loved being with her family and probably told everyone that she loved them multiple times a day (and she meant it)! Her two grandsons, Lance and Brandon Emert, were particularly special to Ann. Most recently they each had a child, so Ann had two great-grandchildren, Audrey and Bryce. She adored them and cherished every minute they were with her. Audrey brought her a small baby Jesus and put it at the foot of her bed to watch over Ann in her last days. Ann never met a stranger. She conversed with everyone, spreading joy and laughter and love. She was truly a disciple of Christ, her faith was strong and deep, and she never wavered in her love of people, particularly Bob and her family. She showed us all how to live and the memories she left will be cherished forever. Ann is survived by her husband, Bob O’Quinn; a daughter, Debbie Emert (Bobby); two grandchildren, Lance (Emily) and Brandon (Amanda); two great-grandchildren, Audrey and Bryce; her brother, Bill Vandiver (Rita); her cousins, Helen Carpenter (Jack), Pat Fromen (Gunnar), Jimmy Simmons, Peggy Oswalt and many nieces and nephews. 

         Her funeral is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 29, 2025 in Johnson City. Memorials may be made to Queens University of Charlotte, c/o the Ann Vandiver O’Quinn Music Scholarship, 1900 Selwyn Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28274. The family would like to thank all the caregivers that cared for Ann at home so she could live with Debbie and Bob.