Michael John Vargas McGrann

1984 - 2014

Michael John Vargas McGrann, a rabid Chicago Bears fan as well as a loving son, brother, uncle and friend, passed away Monday, April 28, 2014, in Oklahoma City, Okla. He was 30. Memorial service: 3 p.m. Sunday, June 8, in the North Chapel of Compass Church, 2600 Hall Johnson Road, Colleyville. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, his family graciously requests that donations be made to the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas in Michael's name. Michael was born Feb. 22, 1984, in Barrington, Ill., a suburb northwest of Chicago. He attended North Barrington Elementary School and Prairie Middle School before attending Elk Grove High School and later graduating from Colleyville Heritage High School. A black belt in tae kwon do and a sports enthusiast, Michael played basketball, tennis, soccer, football, baseball and lacrosse throughout his life and enjoyed coaching Little League soccer and baseball with the YMCA. He was that annoyingly proud Chicago sports fan, although he grew up a Dallas Cowboys fan -- a fact he hated to admit it in his adult life. Michael attended Western Connecticut State University where he pledged and was initiated into the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He valued the friendships he made with his fraternity brothers there very much. As a teenager, Michael volunteered with many children ministries at Willow Creek Church in Barrington, Ill. He developed late-onset epilepsy when he was 17. He used the diagnosis to fuel his involvement in the Epilepsy Foundation of Texas, where he helped organize the annual Stroll for Epilepsy and raised thousands of dollars for awareness about the condition. In addition, Michael was a counselor at Kamp Kaleidoscope where he mentored children suffering from epilepsy. Michael was a loyal friend to many and an extremely dedicated worker. He loved his family very much, most especially his nieces with whom he could often be found playing. Michael's legacy will be his sensitive heart, playful nature and uncanny sense of humor. He was so lucky to be a part of a family who loved him so much, but Michael gave as much as he got. The world certainly shines a little less brightly without him in it. Michael was preceded in death by his grandparents. Survivors: Mother, Amelia Vargas-Field and stepfather, Matthew Field of Colleyville; father, Gary McGrann and stepmother, Marion McGrann of Punta Gorda, Fla.; sister, Melissa Wethe and her husband, David Wethe, of Spring; sister, Marne Parmalee and her husband, Scott Parmalee; brother-in-law, Omar Sanchez of Fort Worth; beautiful nieces, Aryanna Sanchez, Luciana Wethe, Maighan Frey and Mary Kate Frey; and countless friends from across the country.