Charles McGinnis

1933 - 2021

DESTIN, FL-Charles Douglas (Doug) McGinnis. well known "river man" passed away peacefully at his home in Destin, Florida. Doug was originally from Portsmouth, Ohio, where he was born on September l, 1933, a son of the late Arden Mac and Vivian Withrow McGinnis. He graduated from Portsmouth High School and served in the U S Army. After returning from service he began working for his father who owned the Portsmouth Drydocking Company, a barge and towboat repair facility on the Ohio River. Doug showed up late for work one day and his dad fired him. That work ethic stayed with him all thru his life. Doug later bought the company from his dad and moved it to Catlettsburg, KY, naming it Ashland Drydocking Company. In the 70's, he started building towboats at 3rd and Jefferson Streets in Portsmouth and launching them at the landing behind the floodwall. It was a spectacular sight to see a towboat being towed down the street. Each boat was named for a member of Doug's family.

In 1970, he began another company in South Point, Ohio, named McGinnis Inc., later building a beautiful "home office" on the banks of the Ohio river. The business continued to grow and expand to Cincinnati, Ohio, and then to Paducah. Ky. In the 80's, Doug purchased the National Maintenance and Repair Shipyard in Hartford. Illinois. Boats on the Ohio, Illinois, and Mississippi rivers could all be drydocked and repaired. A market opened in New Orleans for towboat repairs and Doug, along with his son Bruce, began another venture. Before the pandemic the company employed more than 800 employees and had many towboats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

Doug enjoyed being a part of many river organizations including the local Huntington Propeller Club and the National Propeller Club. He was honored several times for his work and dedication to the river industry.

Doug is survived by his wife Susan Kitchen McGinnis of Destin, daughter Vivian Elizabeth (Beth) McGinnis of Santa Rosa Beach FL, Bruce D, McGinnis of Paducah, KY, and Christopher Arden McGinnis and wife Susan of Lake Placid FL, stepdaughter April Malone of Destin, and grandchildren Ethan, Bruce Douglas, and Christopher McGinnis. Step grandchildren, Tyler and Aiden and his favorite dog, Autumn Rose.

Services will be held at the Santa Rosa Beach Community Church on

Thursday with Pastor Pete Hyde officiating. It will be live streamed on their website live.srbcc.com at 3:30EST/2:30CST.

Doug and Susan have attended and supported their church many years until his failing health prevented them from attending.

Services and burial will be held in Ohio at a later date.