Christopher McGinley

Christopher “Chris” McGinley of Oak Park, California, passed away suddenly at home at the age of 67 on November 30, 2022, presumably of heart disease. Because of his long history with Atrial Fibrillation, Chris’s family is waiting on the results of an autopsy to finalize the cause of death.

Chris was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Wilfred and Catherine McGinley on January 12, 1955. He grew up in Kingston with his three sisters and brother until the family made the move to Colorado, first in Greeley in 1969, then to Loveland the following year, where he lived until he graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in accounting.

Chris learned to ski as a child in Pennsylvania and continued the sport in Colorado. Sister Marian Pond said that her brother enjoyed an array of activities as a child, playing in Little-League baseball, earning badges as a Cub Scout, swimming at the local YMCA, and competing with his high school tennis team. The team competed in State in the double’s competition. In collage at CSU, Chris took up taekwondo and earned a black belt.

According to his sister, Evelyn Swanton, the last time her brother skied was when he took a trip to Aspen with his family to celebrate his 21st birthday. Although he was an expert skier, he hated cold weather and moved to warmer climes, first to Houston, Texas, and then to Los Angeles where he worked as an accountant for a large auto parts chain. Brother Neil McGinley said although Chris did quite well in NASTAR skiing, after waiting to ski in extreme cold, he got frostbite, and dreaded cold weather thereafter.

Chris was a known prankster, and was said to be the human version of Google, fact-checking the old-fashioned way through encyclopedias or dictionaries to set the record straight with his siblings on whatever topic they were debating. During these dinnertime talks, when his sisters provided too many gory facts about what they were doing in their science class at the time, he famously changed the subject by saying “How ‘bout them Broncos!”

Chris met his future wife, Stephanie Bertholdo, in Woodland Hills, California, at Pickwick Pub, a local dart club/bar. After dating for a few years, Chris and Stephanie married, went on a spectacular honeymoon to Australia and New Zealand, then settled down in Oak Park, a small bedroom community in the Conejo Valley, where they lived for 37 years. Soon after, their first son, Evan, was born, followed by Maria and Timothy. Chris was over-the-moon about each of his children and showed his love by being a very active parent despite the fact that he worked long hours.

He coached all kinds of sports teams for his children over the years, including soccer, basketball and baseball. If he wasn’t coaching, he was either in the stands cheering his children and teams on, or volunteering as a referee. When the kids grew up and went off to college and eventually moved away from home, nothing made Chris happier than when the entire family was home for a visit where he could show off his barbecuing skills. He was also known to cook a mean Cajun meatloaf!

Chris became a grandfather on Thanksgiving Day, 2021, a proud moment indeed. In fact, Chris was hesitant to retire from his beloved job with B. Riley Financial, but before he passed, he had made up his mind it was time to slow down and enjoy life as a grandpa. Chris and Steph had plans to take Lorien to the zoo, the beach, the park—all kinds of places. At the end, Chris was supremely proud of his children. Evan became an attorney; Maria is a teacher and Timothy is working towards becoming a doctor.

Chris became enamored with football and an ardent Broncos’ fan while living in Colorado. His love of the Bronco’s never waned, even when they lost. He even had season tickets to the Broncos for a few years. Sister Nora Grina said that his love of the Broncos was a tribute to their father, Bill McGinley, who became an avid fan once he moved the family to Colorado.

Stephanie will always remember her husband as a soft-spoken, pure-hearted person who would do anything for anybody. Over the years, they traveled and had plans to really explore the United States. They started with vacations to Washington State and Vermont. Chicago would’ve been next on the list. They also had plans to explore Chris’s heritage in England and Ireland.

Chris is survived by his loving wife, Stephanie; children, Evan McGinley and Dana Or (McGinley) Maria McGinley-Gilbrech and Brandon Gilbrech, Timothy McGinley, sisters Marian Pond and her husband Stan Pond, Nora Grina and husband Jonas Grina, Evelyn Swanton and her husband Doug Swanton, brother Neil McGinley, his grandchild, Lorien McGinley-Gilbrech, and many, many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.

A mass will be held for Chris at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church on Sat., Jan. 28, followed by a reception at O’Reilly Hall.