James F. McGinnis

James McGinnis made a living telling stories about people. This one is about him.
He was a lifelong Philly guy until his death on June 18, 2024. He passed away after a brief illness surrounded by his family and best friend of 21 years.
McGinnis was 45.
Since 2001, he worked as a journalist for the Bucks County Courier Times in Langhorne, where he covered a variety of subjects first as a municipal beat reporter and eventually as an investigative enterprise journalist.
For McGinnis writing was not work It was a vocation. Journalism was his passion.
Here is how he described himself in a year-end round up highlighting his best work of 2021.
"I'm an introvert, empath, and – quite possibly – a masochist. Why else would someone who likes solitude and silence become an investigative journalist? Every day, I connect with people – many of them struggling. Occasionally, I get to write something that could make a difference."
He did make a difference in the world, personally and professionally.
As part of the team covering major events including Pope Francis' 2015 Philadelphia visit, the 2016 Democratic Convention, the post-2020 election Rudy Giuliani press conference at Four Seasons Total Landscaping and a rare 2021 EF3 tornado in Lower Bucks County.
His ability to find stories about the quirky and unique gave readers the opportunity to learn about a resurgence in bat populations, the existence of haunted dolls, a crawfish invasion in Levittown, and the influence of the 2020 COVID pandemic on art.
Another job perk McGinnis enjoyed the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Like when hitched a wild ride in a replica World-War II B-17 bomber, named Belle and toured the Philadelphia skyline in blimp.
On the serious side, he chronicled tough topics with great sensitivity, like the struggles of the homeless and military veterans, social and political unrest and the stories of the forgotten dead in the coroner offices.
He won honors for his journalism in Pennsylvania and New Jersey including the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Truth in Finances Award, Best of Gannett Local Reporting and three Spotlight awards from the SPJ Keystone Pro-state chapter.
Words never failed him. But writing was only one of the talents he shared with readers.
He shot and edited short videos, not only for himself, but other reporters. He taught himself how to create an interactive salary database showing what local government workers earned. He put together online graphics that were interesting and intricate.
Photography another talent he had. His favorite subjects were himself and his chihuahua.
Outside of work, McGinnis enjoyed reading, hiking, swimming, trips to the Jersey shore and he was learning to scuba dive. Most of all he loved to travel.
In addition to visiting many U.S. states (including a spontaneous road trip to New Orleans) his overseas adventures included multiple trips to Italy and Mexico, as well as Sicily, Egypt, Greece, France, Guatemala, and Belize.
For the last 17 years he was an adjunct journalism professor at his alma mater, Temple University, where he graduated in 1999; he also taught scientific writing for two years at Drexel University, both in Philadelphia.
Things that not many people knew about McGinnis include he was a self-taught piano player. He loathed social media and worried AI would be the end of journalism. He preferred audiobooks to paper. His parallel parking skills were unmatched.
With his time and money he was generous. He volunteered in soup kitchens on Thanksgiving, prepared meals for Manna and assisted in the Philadelphia Medical Reserve Corp.
He painted landscapes. He loved "Lord of the Rings," "Sex in the City," and all Anne Rice novels. He was obsessed with the universe, celestial objects and world history.
Musician Tori Amos and actress Gillian Anderson are the most perfect women in modern history, in his opinion. He had a deep fear of spiders. His favorite vegetable was Caesar salad.
His childlike excitement about the Christmas season was inspiring.
As was his hair, arguably his best physical asset aside from his 6-feet, 4-inches height.
Among his other great attributes was his sense of humor, which is best described as a combination of sarcasm, goofiness, wit and frequently inappropriate.
He is survived by his parents, Marion (Toner) McGinnis, and his father James D. McGinnis, of Philadelphia, both retired Philadelphia Police officers, brother, Michael McGinnis (Olivia Steffa), nephew Dylan McGinnis, and nieces Eva and Ella McGinnis, of Burlington County, New Jersey, cousin Christine Schuler and his beloved dog, Franco.
Family and friends are invited to attend his life celebration on Thursday June 27, 2024 from 10 a.m. to noon at the John F. Givnish Funeral Home, 10975 Academy Road, Philadelphia, Pa.