Norm Quin pays tribute to Gloria

FORMER Bendigo mayor Norm Quin has paid tribute to his beautiful wife Gloria who died suddenly on Friday.Mr Quin, 77, said the first time he met Gloria he was struck by her blue eyes and blonde hair and was told that he never stood a chance with her.“We first met when I was 18 at the YMCA Saturday night dance,” he said.“There were a lot of boys chasing her and I was told I didn’t stand a chance.“I just thought she was someone I would like to spend the rest of my life with.”Mr Quin said it wasn’t until he returned from National Service training when he was 23 that they became engaged and soon married.The couple had two daughters Julie and Susan.“We had a rock’n’roll courtship, she was a great dancer,” Mr Quin said.Mrs Quin worked at her father’s store until the couple married and then joined Mr Quin at Quin’s Bluebird.Mr Quin said during his time as City of Bendigo mayor in 1985 and 1986 his wife was his biggest supporter.“I think she was one of the best ‘Mayoresses’ we’ve had,” he said“She was good in her own right.“She said she could never go to a council meeting when I was mayor because she couldn’t listen to all that rubbish. But she was always there backing me.“She would debate you on everything. I used to love listening to her debate the grandkids.“She was a good person.”Mrs Quin passed away on Friday afternoon after a brief battle with cancer. She was 76.