Curtis Michael McGinnis

OBITUARY OF MICHAEL MCGINNIS Curtis Michael McGinnis passed away on Monday, November 21, 2005 in Ames, Iowa following a heart attack that occurred while eating breakfast with a colleague. He is survived by his wife, Marianne McGinnis, his mother, Jewell McGinnis, his children: Seth McGinnis, Kimberly (Randy) McNeely, Boyd (Emily) Nelson, Joel (Coryn) Nelson, Mollie (Bryan) Crawford, Loren McGinnis and Sherilyn McGinnis. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Emma, Camilla, Rebekah, J.J., and Gavin, and his brothers, Travis and David. Michael was born in Hanford, Washington on January 30, 1945. He was the last baby born at a secret military site that participated in the Manhattan Project as part of the war effort. Michael's father, Cecil, was employed as a carpenter at the site. Michael spent his childhood in the Fairmount district of Golden, CO and loved to talk about the summers he spent at Grand Lake backpacking with his brother David in Rocky Mountain National Park, an experience he would later share with his children. He graduated from Golden High School in 1963 and on the advice of a teacher, Michael applied to Yale University and eventually received joint degrees in Biology and Geology. His experiences in college included a bad case of mononucleosis, a trip on the ship 'Beagle 2' '"" a replica of Charles Darwin's original Beagle, and a summer of research in the Galapagos Islands. After college, like many of his classmates Michael saw military service. But unlike most of these classmates who were drafted into service, Michael enlisted in the Air Force and eventually served his country researching primates in a Texas laboratory as an integral part of the emerging space program. Michael married Ginny Fox in 1968 and saw the birth of his first son, Seth, April 23, 1972. Following a divorce, Michael married Glenda Young in 1979 and his first daughter, Mollie, was born September 27, 1981. On December 1, 1979, Michael joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a faith he embraced and cherished for the remainder of his life. Michael was ever the faithful home teacher and his various church callings include: Choir Director, Ward Chorister, Blazer Leader, counselor in the Bishopric, High Priest Group Leader, Stake Assistant Executive Secretary, and Stake Clerk. He selflessly gave of his time and energy to numerous programs and individuals engaged in the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ across the earth. Michael used his understanding of the gospel to bless the lives of his family and all who came into contact with him. His activity in the Church spurred his passion for genealogy work, and his love for this work gave him the opportunity to spend valuable time in the temple, a place he loved dearly. His word and his example leave a lasting legacy of the truthfulness of the gospel he so loved. March 4th, 1988, Michael married Marianne Nelson who had three children by a previous marriage: Kimberly, Boyd, and Joel. Together they had two children, Loren on May 3, 1989 and Sherilyn on January 19, 1992. Michael had an immense love for family and for children. He divided his love, talents and knowledge equally among all his children, natural and adopted. He was a patient father, a dependable husband and a joyful grandfather. As a young man, Michael was an avid skier, climber, backpacker and outdoorsman. Some of his exploits include a stint on the National Ski Patrol and a teaching post at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School where he taught biology, geology, survival and more. He also had an intense love of music and shared his talents for several years as a bass in the Colorado Mormon Chorale. To add to his list of artistic accomplishments, he was a painter, a gifted poet, a connoisseur of gourmet food and a published writer. Michael was a survivalist and an excellent provider for his family. Following a layoff in 1992 and the unavailability of employment opportunities, Michael supported a family of 9 better than any family in such a situation has ever been supported. He was always fond of a good deal and took great pleasure in the goldmine of great food (and other items) that he found dumpster diving. We may not have had a dime to spend, but we ate like kings! Over the past couple of days, an absolute outpouring of sympathies has been received from Michael's various business colleagues. This, more than anything represents the immense respect that he had earned in his professional life. He was a pioneer and an innovator in the Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) field. His ideas, writings, and software programming were adopted as general practice by companies and individuals all across the world. He has been described by his colleagues as a man of integrity, loyalty, courage and compassion. Always the teacher, Michael shared many valuable philosophies with his posterity. Among them: 1. Respect for women, 2. You cannot control what you cannot measure, 3. You are at the greatest risk for making bad personal decisions when you are feeling sorry for yourself, 4. The most vocal accusers are often the most culpable, and 5. Accuracy, not speed. In addition, he leaves his posterity with a powerful testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of his faith, the power of the priesthood to bless and enrich the lives of others, and the joy of being sealed to his family for all eternity. Michael was a devoted son, a dependable husband, a patient father to many, a joyful grandfather and a beloved friend to all. We are better for knowing him, sad for losing him, and excited for that day when we will be reunited. Memorial remembrances are suggested to LDS Philanthropies - Church Mission Fund, in memory of Michael McGinnis, 1501 North Canyon Road, Provo, Utah 84604 or call 1-801-240-5567. Donations can also be made online at www.ldsphilanthropies.org