James Garland Mcginnis

James (Jim) McGinnis, age 84, passed away peacefully on July 19, 2017 at Country Club Care in Duncan. He was born on Aug. 4, 1932 in Durant, Oklahoma to Frank and Cuma McGinnis. He spent his early years in eastern Oklahoma. Near the end of World War II, the family moved west and lived in Nevada and California. After the untimely death of his father when Jim was only 12 years old, he and his mother moved back to Oklahoma.
Jim attended Murray State Junior College and spent several years as a surveyor in Texas, Colorado, and Oklahoma as well as in Cuba and Turkey. He later attended Oklahoma State University while living in Perry.
He married Mary Jo Hladik in 1959, and they recently celebrated their 58th anniversary. Their first home was in Perry, Oklahoma, and they later moved to Anadarko and then Duncan. Jim worked for the Oklahoma State Highway Department as a surveyor and engineer for 30 years, retiring in 1993. He continued working independently as a surveyor for a few years afterward.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo, of the home; a son, Jay McGinnis, of Norman; a daughter, Laura McGinnis Smith and her husband Gerald, of Chicago; grandchildren Kevin and his wife Molly, of San Diego; Ryne, of Lesotho, Africa; Amelia, Sean and his wife Maddy, and Frank, all of Chicago; and two great-grandchildren, Aviendha and Dylan, of Chicago.
A graveside memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Aug 10th, at the Duncan Cemetery with pastor Ryan Sims of Wesley United Methodist Church officiating.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Duncan Regional Hospital, Country Club Care, and Chisholm Trail Hospice for their attentive care.
Memorial donations may be made to Wesley United Methodist Church, 401 N 1st St, Duncan, OK 73533; and Chisholm Trail Hospice, PO Box 2000, Duncan, OK 73533.