Scott William Quinlan, of Rantoul, doting father, devoted husband, loving son, and big brother, unexpectedly passed away at the age of 48 on May 12th, 2026.

Visitation will be from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 20, 2026 at Christian Life Church, Rantoul with a prayer service starting at 4:30 p.m. Visitation will also be one hour before the service from 10:00-11:00 a.m. Thursday at the church.

Celebration of Life service will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 21, 2026 at Christian Life Church, Rantoul with Pastor Michael Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in Beckman Cemetery, Rantoul. Baier Family Funeral Services, Paxton is handling arrangements.

Scott was born on December 20, 1977 and grew up in Thomasboro, the son of Bill and Mary (née Raup) Quinlan. He attended Thomasboro Grade School, Rantoul Township High School, and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. A lifelong athlete, he excelled at basketball and especially football, walking onto the team for his first two years at the U of I. He later graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Engineering.
Scott is preceded in death by his father Bill, who passed away in 2013 and his mother-in-law Dij Champion who passed away in 2024. He is survived by his wife Rebecca "Becky" Champion of Paxton.  They were married on October 19, 2002.  Along with his wife, he is survived by his three beloved children, the joys of his life; Emma, 22, of Tuscola, Anna, 21, of Rantoul, and Brady, 18, also of Rantoul. He is also survived by his mother Mary, of Thomasboro, and his younger brother, Mark, of Chicago, his father-in-law Dave Champion, of Tierra Verde, FL, his sister-in-law Teri Jordan (Jeremy) along with his nephew, Cale Jordan and his niece Finley Jordan, all living in Jefferson, GA.

One thing known for certain is that Scott has been reunited with his savior Jesus in eternal paradise. Scott found an endless and undying love from his best friend, Jesus Christ. Jesus' love possesses no bounds, and Scott's mission in life was to show this love to all. Scott found his purpose. He found perfection in an imperfect world. He truly knew and walked with Jesus, chasing him without ever hesitating to turn back. There is absolutely no doubt that Scott is in eternal bliss with the one and only living God. As an active member of the Rantoul Community Church, Scott helped guide it from its early days to become a steady fixture in the local faith community. Outside of his commitment to the church, he was an assistant football coach at Fisher High School, the head coach at Rantoul High School, and always volunteering with local causes and fundraisers.

"No" was not a word in Scott's vocabulary. He was always ready and willing to drop anything to help someone in need. Of course, at the top of his list were his adored wife and children. He developed a broad set of home improvement skills working alongside his father, Bill, and used these skills to remodel each and every one of his family's houses to make them feel like a home. Always seeming to burn the candle at both ends, his priority was always his kids. Time was always made to coach their sports teams and indulge them in their varied interests, disappointing them was never an option.

Scott was known for his curiosity and jack-of-all-trades personality. Once Becky heard the words, "Hey hon, I've been thinking…" from Scott, it was best to just let him go; no amount of reason would stop him from diving all in.  That stubbornness, which he was often teased for, seemingly always paid off. His family, his community, and this world are all better off because of his unyielding determination. A wild idea from his brother back in 2011 spawned a passion for BBQ. He fed thousands of people over the years, often without ever taking a dime. Never motivated by money, Scott found his joy in always helping people and being a model of kindness and generosity throughout his community.

Although he left this life too soon, Scott's larger than life presence and generous heart will live on within his family and community. Go Chiefs.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Scott Quinlan Memorial Fund at the Bank of Rantoul.