Harold Quayle, Jr.

Harold Quayle Jr., 93, of Rockville, MD passed away on September 20, 2024 at Adventist HealthCare Medical Center surrounded by family. He was born in Wilmington, NC on August 3, 1931, the son of the late Harold and Bernyce Quayle. He was the widower of Martha Zimmerman Quayle, his wife of 62 years.

He is survived by his son Hal Quayle (Mary), and daughters Liza Quayle Hammack (Craig) and Meredith Quayle Murray (Brian). He is also survived by grandchildren Emily Hammack Lyles (Philip), Landon Quayle (Chia), Britton Quayle (Ashley), and Devon Murray. Also surviving are six great grandchildren Emery, Chase, Penelope, Olivia, Stella, Lucille and numerous nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his wife Martha Zimmerman Quayle, sister Cynthia Fuller, brother Frederick Quayle and grandson Alan Hammack Jr.

Mr. Quayle graduated from Suffolk (VA) High School in 1949 and entered the University of Virginia, receiving a BA in biology, with a minor in chemistry, in 1953. He was drafted and served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956. After being trained as a medical aidman he served in the parade band of the Medical Training Center at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas.

After marrying Martha Zimmerman of Leechburg, PA, Mr. Quayle settled into a career at Wheaton High school in MD that spanned 34 years teaching chemistry and photography. He was well respected and former students continued to keep in touch with him. He recently attended the sixty year reunion for the class of ’64 as a guest of a student and was the only teacher present from that year.

When his children were young the family spent many happy times on camping trips, as far away as Colorado and the Maritime Provinces of Canada.

After the children were grown Harold and Martha enjoyed trips to England, Italy and France, They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary spending two weeks in Provence in southern France.

Mr. Quayle, with his wife, was a great lover of opera, traveling often to see operas in San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Santa Fe, Glimmerglass Opera in Cooperstown, NY, New York City Opera and most of all, the Metropolitan Opera.

He was equally a fan of chamber music and attended and supported Marlboro Music and Yellow Barn in Marlboro and Putney, VT and, for thirty-five years, the Chesapeake Chamber Music Festival in Easton, MD.

A dedicated amateur bass, Mr. Quayle sang in the Washington Cathedral Choral Society for almost 50 years and was exposed to almost all of the great choral literature.

He was a member of Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church in Bethesda, MD for sixty-one years, serving for a number of years in the choir and reveling in his love of cooking as a member of the church gourmet club.

He loved art, especially the work of printmakers, and was for many years a member of the Washington Print Club. The Print Collection of Harold and Martha Quayle is extensive, most of which were framed by Harold himself.

There will be a Celebration of Life for Mr. Quayle on Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 3pm at Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Church, 9601 Cedar Lane in Bethesda, MD.

Gifts in Harold’s memory may be made to Chesapeake Chamber Music PO Box 461 Easton, MD 21601 or Cedar Lane UU Church.