CDR Paul Hartwell McGinnis, USN (Ret)

Commander Paul Hartwell McGinnis, USN, Retired, passed away November 10, 2011 after complications of a stroke, four days prior to his 91st birthday. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home in Ridgeland with interment in Parkway Memorial Cemetery in Ridgeland. Visitation will be held from 5:00 until 8:00 PM Monday and 10:00 AM until service time Tuesday at the funeral home.

McGinnis was born in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Lewis Evermont and Martha Hartwell McGinnis. He served in the United States Navy for 22 years during WWII and the Korean War. He was a naval aviator serving briefly in the European theatre, but spent most of the war in the Pacific theatre of operation flying seaplanes. He landed in Tokyo Bay and started operations there prior to the acceptance of Japan’s surrender aboard the USS Missouri. He continued to serve in the Navy after WWII ended residing on Oahu, Hawaii and Midway Islands. He left the service of his country in 1964 and moved to Mississippi where he completed his education at University of West Alabama and received a teaching degree. He taught biology, physics and ROTC in the public school system in the Meridian, MS area retiring in 1984. In 1996, he moved to Madison, MS.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his step-mother, Hulda Harned, his brother, William Evermont McGinnis, wives Christine Hunt and Pauline Crouch.

He is survived by his children Margaret Ann (Peggy) White of Leawood, Kansas; Paul Michael McGinnis of San Diego, California; and Dr. Paul Scott McGinnis of Madison, MS and their families, as well as, numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to Disabled American Veterans or USO.