JOHN J. McGINN

McGINN Col. (Ret.) JOHN JOSEPH McGINN (Age 81) Passed away on June 21, 2013, in his Washington, D.C. home of natural causes. John was born on August 21, 1931 in New Orleans, Louisiana and spent his formative years there. He graduated from Holy Name Academy and Jesuit High School, where he was captain of the football team. He attended Georgetown University on a football scholarship during 1949-1951 and was then recruited by Assistant Coach Vince Lombardi to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. He served with distinction as an infantry officer for 28 years, retiring as a Colonel in 1984. He completed two tours in Vietnam during the 1960s, earning a Silver Star in 1965 for gallantry in action while serving as an advisor to a friendly unit in the Republic of Vietnam and two Bronze Stars. He later served as a battalion commander and graduated from the U.S. Army War College. He concluded his active service as the Garrison Commander at West Point. His military decorations and medals included the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Parachutist Badge, and the Ranger Tab and he also earned a Masters in Public Administration from Shippensburg State University in 1979. John was also an assistant coach on the 1958 Army football team, the last undefeated Army team. After his military service, John worked in a number of capacities in the Washington area including as a Presidential appointee during the Administration of George H.W. Bush in the Office of the Secretary of the Army from 1989 until 1993 and on the staff of Senator Robert Dole through 1996. Upon retirement, he continued his love of volunteer work, serving as a Eucharistic minister for his parish and deploying to Bosnia and Kosovo as an election supervisor. Most importantly, John was a devoted husband, father, and friend of many. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Elizabeth (Penny), and was predeceased by his first wife, Ingrid Maria Henriksson. He is survived by his son, John G. McGinn, and daughter-in-law, Kelly, of Manassas, Virginia; his son, Michael J. McGinn, and daughter-in-law, Lena, of Fairfax, Virginia; his step-daughter, Katherine P. Dunbar, and son-in-law, Mark Levitch, of Washington, D.C.; his step-son, MacDonald Dunbar, daughter-in-law, Uta, and step-granddaughter, Teal, of Portland, Oregon; his sister Kathleen Pender of New Orleans, Louisiana; and his grandchildren, Conor, Annika, Claire, Henrik, Ryan, and Sean McGinn and Perham and Esmé Levitch. Family and friends will gather on Thursday, June 27, 2013 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 3513 N Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20007 for a period of visitation at 10 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. A reception will follow at Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, http://www. woundedwarriorproject.org.