Kane Gordon McQuaid's Obituary
Cancer eventually got Kane Gordon McQuaid on March 16, 2026, but Kane made cancer work for every last inch.
Throughout his 40 years, McQuaid, of Stafford Springs, took care of himself. He burned through home workout equipment and swore by all-natural peanut butter. Doctors said his strong body and healthy heart gave him the endurance to keep fighting months after an aggressive melanoma had riddled his lungs, spine, liver, and brain with fast-growing lesions.
Before that fight, Kane lived his life well.
He had little use for social media but an inexhaustible desire to forge human connections and new experiences. He tackled the mountains of New England on a snowboard and the fairways of the East Coast with an earnest desire to master golf. He competed in paintball, soccer, and baseball leagues. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts and had an abiding passion for disc golf.
Kane was generous with his time, his resources, and his words. He didn’t need a holiday to arrive with a touching and thoughtful gift. He didn’t need a Hallmark card to articulate what he loved about the people closest to him.
Kane had a sharp intellect. He graduated from Stafford High School in 2003 and studied at Eastern Connecticut State University. He was a relentless reader who couldn’t wait to discuss his new insights after a second reading of a series with more than a dozen entries.
Though he was rarely early, Kane was reliable. He was a few short years away from retirement after a career as a correction officer with the Connecticut Department of Correction, and could be counted on to show up for people who needed him, in uniform and out.
Kane was a shy child who grew into a confident and outgoing man. He danced without hesitation, swung his clubs in bold colors, and drove electric blue Subarus that could be heard before they were seen.
Most of all, Kane was compassionate. Throughout his life, Kane had a special way of making those he spoke to feel heard, and he placed the interests of others ahead of his own. His empathy endured to the end. Even after all the challenges, surgeries, hardship, and pain, some of Kane’s last words were of concern and gratitude for his family and friends.
And he had many. Kane is survived by his mother, Rebecca Wentworth; his father, Hugh John McQuaid, Jr.; his stepfather, Paul Wentworth, who shared a close bond with him; and his stepmother, Diane Russ. He also leaves behind his siblings, Hugh Charles McQuaid, Kirstie Duquette, Oliver Wentworth, and Calvin Wentworth; their spouses, Cassandra McQuaid, Michael Duquette, Ciara Wentworth, and Kristin Wentworth; his nephews Emmett and Wade Duquette; his nieces Maisy and Harper Wentworth; his friend and love Michelle Arcata; and his beloved cat Poody.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 26, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Introvigne Funeral Home, 51 East Main St., Stafford Springs, CT, with a short memorial service following visitation. A burial service will be held at noon on Friday, March 27 at West Stafford Cemetery, located at the corner of Chestnut Hill Rd. and Old Springfield Rd., Stafford Springs, CT.
Memorial donations may be made to the Connecticut Cat Connection, 40 Stevens Mill Rd., Windsor, CT 06095 and the Connecticut Rivers Council, Scouting America, 50 State House Square, 5th Floor, Hartford, CT 06103.
To leave a message of sympathy for his family, or for directions, please visit: https://www.introvignefuneralhome.com
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