Mary Thulman McGinnis

Mary McGinnis passed away peacefully on Monday, June 22, 2026, in her room at Lilac Memory Care at Moorings Park in Naples, Florida. She was 98 years and 7 months old. Her granddaughter, Lynn, and son, John, had just given her a kiss on the forehead and sat down for dinner when they received the call from her hospice nurse that Mary had gained her wings.

Mary met her husband, Richard McGinnis, at Oberlin College in Ohio. They married in 1949, the year of her graduation. A gifted pianist, Mary graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree as a music major from Oberlin’s prestigious Conservatory of Music. Her marriage to Richard was the beginning of a fairytale life together. As Richard found immediate and lasting success in the business world, Mary raised the bar as a homemaker extraordinaire. She was a beautiful wife, a loving mother of two, and an accomplished cook who prepared delicious meals for family and friends. She kept their homes immaculate, managed the household finances, and deeply loved a succession of five family dogs.

Adding to her many talents, Mary's accomplishments on the golf course were legendary. She was club champion many times over at every country club to which she and Richard belonged during their 68 years together. She was also an adept seamstress who crafted almost all of her own fine clothing which she wore with grace and style.

As her son for 73 years, I know she was a gift beyond words. She was beautiful, refined, soft-spoken, friendly, and possessed a wry sense of humor. Her capable management of our home life was perhaps the primary reason my father was so successful throughout his career. They were an incredible couple. Following Richard's passing in 2018, Mary began to experience her world in totally different ways. She became independent, more confident, and found a newfound inner strength. Her family witnessed this beautiful late-life blossoming, and we each enjoyed getting to know her like never before.

While our family grieves her absence from our everyday lives, her spirit lives on in each of us. Mary leaves behind her son, John, his wife Mary, and their dog Pearl of Brevard, NC; her grandson, Oliver, his wife Andrea, and their dogs Jim and Sky of San Rafael, CA; and her granddaughter, Lynn, her husband James, and their dog Otis of Sagamore Hills, OH. She was predeceased by her husband, Richard, and her daughter, Kathy.

A private family service is planned for a future date. If you wish to honor Mary, please consider a gift to Avow (avowcares.org), who provided gentle and beautiful hospice care during her last months. The family also extends their deepest thanks to her favorite primary care physician, Dr. David Linz, and the wonderful staff at Orchid Terrace and Lilac who cared for her during her four-year stay—which included demonstrating patience beyond belief as Mary terrorized all in her path with her iPhone. We love her and wish her a safe journey as she reunites with Dad for the remainder of time.