Jesse was born on June 11, 1934, in Yauco, Puerto Rico. He married the love of his life, the former Guntra (G.G) Graudins, on Oct. 18, 1974, in Bainbridge, Ohio.

She survives, along with their son, Jaime Andres of Bristol, whom they adopted after making a decision to adopt a child from a troubled country.

They traveled to Colombia, where they had to fulfill a residency requirement of more than a month before taking him home with them. Jaime is now 26 years old. Jesse is also survived by four sisters, Fannie of Puerto Rico and Rosy, Ramona and Riso, all of Cleveland, Ohio; and his two brothers, Peter and Mike Quinones, also of Cleveland.

He has a large extended family with many nieces and nephews and much loved by Jesse were his two large dogs, 13 cats and two Amazon parrots.

Jesse graduated from high school in Puerto Rico but he had more "class" than any Harvard graduate. He was an unusually kind and gentle-hearted man, who was known for his generosity and passion for helping friends and animals in need. His passion for gardening resulted in stunning gardens around their home; during the years, he was still able to use his hands. People would stop their cars and ask about our plantings.

Jesse was an avid sports fan and was especially fond of football and baseball. He also loved old movies and knew the names of every obscure movie star and movie. He loved music and enjoyed playing classical guitar. Jesse was a steelworker for Michigan Metal in Cleveland, Ohio, for 30 years, he then went to work as a data entry clerk for Enesco Corp. in Chicago, Ill., where he worked for nine years. He served his country in the U.S. Army and was an active member of Living Faith Fellowship in Elkhart.

This was a remarkable and much-loved man.

Friends of Jesse's may gather on Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart, where the service to celebrate his life will follow at 8 p.m. Gary Yordy and Paul Comino of Living Faith Fellowship will officiate and per Jesse's request, cremation will follow the services at Billings.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials in Jesse's name to the ALS Association, 27001 Agoura Road, Suite 150, Calabasas Hills, CA 91301-5104. To share a memorial or leave a condolence to the family, please visit www.billingsfuneralhome.com.