If someone wanted to know what Barry J. Quinones did during his life, that person would have to set aside some time to find out.
Mr. Quinones had a colorful and varied career that spanned from being a lead choir boy at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City as a child to retiring as a private investigator.
In between were stints as a Marine Corps captain with service during the Cuban missile crisis, a financial whiz for General Electric Credit Corp., a federal narcotics agent who was involved in the famous French Connection case, security chief for a clothing company, and safety and security director at Allegheny General Hospital.
Mr. Quinones, of Monroeville, died Wednesday in Canterbury Place, a UPMC Senior Community in Lawrenceville, of complications from diabetes. He was 74.
His son, William, of Virginia Beach, Va., said Mr. Quinones, a native of Puerto Rico who grew up in New York City, was well suited for his various jobs because of his singular focus on details.
"He was always talking about procedure," he said. "He was tremendously detail-oriented, very precise. He wasn't a man to stand a lot of re-dos. He wanted things done right the first time. He lived his life that way, working for and pressing for preciseness."
But Mr. Quinones did let his hair down. He was a golfer and Steelers fan and enjoyed traveling and singing, both in church and with friends.
His Marine Corps career, from 1959 to 1962, likely had a hand in his attention to detail. He was a transportation supply and mobility captain, deployed primarily in the Mediterranean with many ports of call, but during the Cuban missile crisis he was reassigned to the Florida area.
He remained active in the Marine Corps Reserve while working at what is now known as GE Money for two years in credit collection and auditing.
After that he joined the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, then known as the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, and was assigned to the New York City office.
"I remember, growing up as a child, some of the dangers and some of the intrigue he brought home as part of his job," said Mr. Quinones' son.
In New York, Mr. Quinones was involved in The French Connection case made even more famous by the 1971 movie of the same name starring Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider.
"It was one of his favorite movies. He knew the characters in the movie. He said the essence of the real incident was captured in the movie," Mr. Quinones' son said.
In 1968, he transferred to the bureau's Pittsburgh office. The next year he went to work as regional security director for Lerner Shops, the clothing store now known as New York & Co., where he was responsible for store security in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland.
Mr. Quinones became security director at AGH in 1974, leading a staff of 60. He was instrumental in the establishment of LifeFlight medical helicopter service at the hospital, writing procedures and policies for safety and security, his son said.
After retiring from AGH, he opened his own security and private investigation agency, Adam Detective Agency, which assisted in security at Forbes Regional Hospital and Rite Aid Security. He retired from that post in 2009.
His wife of 52 years, Anne E. Quinones, died in May.
In addition his son, Mr. Quinones is survived by two daughters, Anne M. DiNardo of Brookline and Linda J. Sablofski of Monroeville; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. today at North American Martyrs Church, 2526 Haymaker Road, Monroeville.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 100 W. Station Square Drive, Pittsburgh 15219.
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