Antino James Magnino, known by everyone as “A.J.” moved from Shawnee Care center to his eternal home with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with his eyes open wide and a big smile on his face, November 16, 2020. I am sure Jesus said to him, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant...enter into the joy of the Lord.” Matthew 25:21
AJ was born September 26, 1928, in his immigrant grandparents' Antonio and Catherina Magnino's house at Clearpond Road at Shawnee Lake on what is now named Magnino Road. He attended several schools in the Shawnee area and graduated from Earlsboro High School in 1947.
On March 29, 1948, AJ joined the Army Air Force and received his Basic training at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. He was then stationed at Lowery AFB, Denver, CO; Ft Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY; Elemdorf AFB, Anchorage, AK; and discharged from Griffin AFB in Rome, NY on April 1, 1952.
His sister, Katherine introduced him to the love of his life, Lola Wilson, in August 1952, and they married 9 months later. Lola and AJ had three girls, Kathie, Beverly and Marilyn and enjoyed 61 years of marriage before Lola moved to heaven in 2013.
Lola and AJ joined Liberty Baptist church in 1953, after the birth of their first child, and AJ has been a member ever since. He was always involved in his girls church activities, attending their church camps with them and traveling with their youth group UP WITH JESUS at Liberty, driving buses cross country and since he was a mechanic, was always ready to repair a disabled bus on the side of the road.
A.J. began working at TAFB on July 1952, and worked there as a jet engine mechanic until he retired in March of 1977. After his retirement from Tinker Air Force Base, A.J. began, for him, a labor of love at Liberty Baptist Church. Through the years some of his duties have included: Maintenance Supervisor (Lola said he has so many keys, some of them must be keys to the kingdom), Pre-School Greeter, Cafeteria worker, Bus maintenance, Bus Driver, Bus Ministry Director, and Auto Mechanics teacher, and later in his life picked up shut ins and brought them to church in the big Cadillac.
He traveled to Israel 9 times doing what he did best, keeping everyone on task and on time.
AJ was an ordained minister. He never pastored a church but lived a full life as a true servant of God. During his last years of life it was a blessing to see how many people knew and loved him because of his dedication and service to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All who crossed his path were anxious to tell how he had touched their life and how much they loved him. The number of lives he has touched will only be known when we get to heaven.
AJ is preceded in death by his wife, Lola, his parents, Pete and Ester Magnino, mother in-law and father-in-law Albert and Eula Wilson, nephew Jeremy Bath, son-in-law George Davis, sister Christina Watson, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jim and Barbara Bath; sisters-in-law Arylene Jackson, and Fern Quirmbach, and brother-in-law James “Dub” Childers.
He is survived by his three daughters Kathie (Jim) French, Beverly (Rod) Lane, and Marilyn Davis.
Grandchildren Stacey (Todd) Ninness, Moore, OK; James Montgomery, Cheyenne, WY; John and Jacob Hill, Oklahoma City; Sundie (Ernie) Tucker, Shawnee, Michael (Abby) Ferrell, Texas; Amber (Matthew) Welch, and Tasha Herron, Shawnee. 18 great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Sister Katherine Childers, Seminole; Pete (Donna) Magnino, Concord Township, OH; Lue (Jerry) Bryant, Shawnee, OK; and many nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Shawnee Care Center for their love and care during the 3 years he lived there, and especially during the last 8 months; Dr. Gregory Grant for his exceptional care over the years and to his Valir Hospice nurse Amy.
Family is having a private service at Resthaven but have requested the service to be live streamed on Resthaven Funeral Home's Facebook page starting at 11am on December 22, 2020.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to NSO, a non-profit directed by AJ's granddaughter Stacey Ninness (www.nsookc.org) and Grace Church, P.O. Box 126; Shawnee, OK 74802.
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