John Michael McGinnis

1934 - 2017

John Michael McGinnis, beloved husband of Judith DeLany McGinnis for 63 years died on May 10, 2017. Mr. McGinnis was born in Charlotte, North Carolina on November 4, 1934 to John Michael McGinnis, Sr., and Lorene Cornwell McGinnis (both deceased). He was raised in Dallas, NC and Gastonia, NC. He was a star athlete in his hometown playing football, basketball, and baseball. He received the Ernest Morgan Award. He was All State in football and All American chosen by Wigwam Wiseman of America. He received numerous scholarship offers for football and chose to accept a scholarship to Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Ga where he met and eventually married Judith DeLany. After being injured at Georgia Tech playing football he ran SEC track. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia Tech in Industrial Management. After graduation, he accepted a position with INA where he began a lifelong career in the insurance business. He served as a Lector in the Catholic Church. Known to his family as "Pa" and "My Daddy" he loved to serve you coffee or tea and toast whenever you visited. He loved music and would make sure you listened to the lyrics as he placed great importance on the lyrics of a song. He loved singing songs to his children and grandchildren. He loved to write articles and poems. He was a great fan of all genres of music. He was a big fan of Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Bread (If), Cold Play, and many many more. He never met a stranger and was kind and generous to everyone he would meet. He loved to tell jokes and make his family laugh. His life was full of love. He was preceded in death by his son, John Michael McGinnis, III and his sister Kay McGinnis Cornwell Suman. He will be greatly missed by his daughter, Kelly McGinnis Dreher (Paul), son, Joseph Mark McGinnis (Christine), his grandchildren Kadi Dreher Malek (George), Kristen Dreher Kleinschrodt (Brian), Karoline Tracy Dreher (fiancé Gabriel), Madison DeLany McGinnis, Aiden Michael McGinnis, Austin Mark McGinnis, and his great grandchildren Nicolas Paul Malek, Nathan Michael Malek, Grayson Paul Kleinschrodt, and Emma Marie Kleinschrodt. He was also much loved by his extended family and will be greatly missed by Maria Arita and Esteban Arita. The family would like to thank Dr. Benjamin Jacobs (cardiologist) at East Jefferson Hospital for taking such good care of him over the last 20 years. We would like to thank Dr. Quynh Mai of East Jefferson Medical Clinic for his compassionate care and Dawn at Dr. Mai's office for always assisting us whenever we called. We would also like to thank the CCU nurses Scott and Georgia for trying so hard to save his life. The family will gather for a Celebration of Life at a later date.