Former Weyauwega mayor honored as outstanding Eagle Scout

By James Card

After many years of service to scouting in Weyauwega, Howard Quimby, 82, received the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award by the National Eagle Scout Association.

To put this in perspective, earning the rank of Eagle Scout is considered an elite achievement; this is a prestigious award on top of that.
He was presented this honor at a ceremony held on April 23 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay.

According to the association this award is given to Eagle Scouts who “have inspired others through their positive actions reflected by recognized accomplishments and devotion to their profession, avocation, community, and beliefs. Previous recipients include authors, explorers, television personalities, military flag officers, scientists, medical doctors, government officials, prominent businessmen and entrepreneurs.”

Quimby did not know he had been nominated for this award. However, he knew something was afoot when he was asked by a friend to write up a brief biography of himself. His friend told him he was being nominated for the Purple Wolf Award.

The Purple Wolf Award? No such thing exists in scouting. Never heard of it. Since his friend was a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, Quimby thought perhaps it was some kind of Native American honor.

He was later talking with a Boy Scout director and mention of the award ceremony slipped out in the conversation. It turned out the Purple Wolf Award was just a fun prank, a red herring to get him to write a bio about himself.

Reflecting back on all of the memories he had in scouting, one in particular stands out: his foot getting jammed into a toilet. It was during a 1962 trip to the fabled Philmont Scout Ranch, a high adventure base in Cimarron, New Mexico.

Quimby and his fellow scouts explored the canyons and hiked zigzag trails up arid mountains. On the last day, he lost his footing and took a tumble down the mountainside. Quimby twisted his ankle and he had to be carried back to camp. Being resourceful scouts, they stuck his foot in a toilet and filled it with ice.

“Cold! I can remember that to this day. I had to get the swelling down because it was my right ankle. That’s the one I needed to drive in order to go home. We got it laced up and then it was back on the road,” said Quimby.

Hooked on Scouts

Quimby joined the Boy Scouts in 1953. “From that point on, I was hooked,” said Quimby. He was 13 years old.

He worked three summers at a scout camp and was elected into the Order of the Arrow. In 1956 he earned the rank of Eagle Scout.

From there, he graduated from Weyauwega in 1958 and graduated from UW-Madison in 1963. He worked for the state of Wisconsin as a field examiner in the consumer credit division of the banking department. He worked for the state for 33 years. During that period he lived in Weyauwega, Waunakee and the Madison area.

Settled back in Weyauwega, he was elected mayor for five terms and served from 1997 to 2007. It was these years that Quimby had his hands in everything: he served on the city board of review after serving as mayor, he helped restore the lake; in scouting he served as a committee chairman and has been doing it ever since, along with holding many other titles and positions.

Along this journey he has been given other awards and honors but two in particular stand out. The headquarters of scouting in Weyauwega is known as the Scout House. At one meeting, some scouts revealed to him a new sign for the building. It read: “Howard Quimby Scout House.”

He also helped fund and organize the handicap kayak/fishing pier and surrounding park area. It is named “Quimby Recreation Area.” He did not know it was named after him until his brother told him.

He has committed his estate to the James E. West Endowment Fund which is operated by the Bay Lakes Council. He intends it to be used for scholarships for area scouts.

Quimby assembled a collection of scouting memorabilia that is currently on display on the second floor of city hall.

Some of the items are related to the history of scouting in Weyauwega, others are from national events. It includes news clippings, old photos of camping scenes, uniforms, badges and patches and other items.