On this 50th anniversary of Idaho State Correctional Institution, we have the story of two men who have a family connection to the facility’s history.

Sgt. Jerry Quinn and Ofc. Kevin Quinn are brothers who work at Idaho State Correctional Center.

Their great uncle, Lt. Gene Quinn, worked at ISCI back in the 1970s. Their father’s cousin’s son, Victor Vanek, also worked for the department.

Sgt. Quinn wrote this account of family’s ties to ISCI:

A few years ago, my father’s cousin, Teresa Quinn Kaady, sent me a friend request on Facebook. Later, she sent me a picture of an article that her father, my grandfather’s brother, was featured in. She thought it was really cool how her father’s grandnephews had unknowingly followed in his footsteps and had found a career in corrections with IDOC. His name was Lt. Grady (Gene) Quinn. She also sent me an old family photo of her father and his siblings, along with all their spouses.

In the family photo, my grandfather is top left, Elmer (Jerry) Quinn. Lt. Grady E. (Gene) Quinn, his brother, is third from left, top row.

My grandfather, Elmer (Jerry) Quinn, who I was named after, died in a tragic logging accident when my father, Randy Quinn, was only 11 months old. My father never knew his father, and as I grew up, I was never in touch with that part of my family. It was certainly a surprise to find out so many years later, that my brother, Officer Kevin Quinn, and I were connected to IDOC in such a cool way. We both transferred over to IDOC from CCA in 2014 when the department took over ISCC.

This is a picture of my dad’s cousin’s son, Victor Vanek. She said that he also worked for the department for a short time before getting hit by a car while riding his motorcycle that left him laid up for several months. He eventually went into food service delivery for 25 years until his death.