Reynold Dwayne "Mac" McGinnis, 74, passed away Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at Smith County Memorial Hospital - Long Term Care, Smith Center, KS.
He was born June 3, 1942 on a farm west of Cedar, KS, the youngest of 3 sons to Reynold Raymond and Laura F. (Dykens) McGinnis. Dwayne attended Smith Center High School, played football through grade school and high school graduating with the class of 1960. He enlisted in the United States Air Force right after high school and served his country from 1960 to 1966 when he was honorably discharged.
After Dwayne's military service he went to work for Lincoln Telephone and Telegraph Co. in Hastings, NE. He adopted a little boy in July of 1969, he was one year and one day old when he got him and named him Wade Allen McGinnis. He married Kathleen Ann Hartman of Guide Rock, NE on May 5, 1973 in Hastings, NE and enjoyed over 35 years of marriage together. Dwayne retired from the phone company in 1997 after working for them 38 years. He kept himself busy by working for Quick Draw and Western Plains Village, both in Smith Center.
When Kathy became ill Dwayne decided to open a small business in his home restoring laptops and reselling them which he did until 2010.
Dwayne was a member of the First Christian Church, Lions Club and American Legion Post 220 all of Smith Center. He was a life member of the American Radio Relay League and was licensed as an amateur radio station operator in 1967. Dwayne's main interest was in "ham radio" and working mobiles as they traveled around the U.S. He was the 858th person in the world to work all 3077 U.S. Counties and completed that goal in February of 1995.
His other hobbies that he and Kathy shared were metal detecting and they both were able to do this on the Oregon Trail, at the stage coach stops, pony express stations, old military establishments, and shared that interest for over 25 years. They amassed quite a collection of artifacts from that time period.
Dwayne was preceded in death by his parents, wife Kathy in 2009 and a brother Doyle in 2014.
He is survived by his son Wade McGinnis and wife Deborah of Lincoln, NE; brother, Loren McGinnis and wife Mary of Hastings, NE; sister-in-law, Madeline McGinnis of Hastings, NE; five granddaughters, Tanya Propp and husband Kyle of Cozad, NE, Tiffany McGinnis and fiancé Josh Pitman of McCook, NE, Christina McGinnis and fiancé Chris Moorehead of Cheyenne, WY, Jamie Martin of Omaha, NE, Jennifer Martin of Lincoln, NE and seven great grandchildren, Zebulin, Talyn, Emersyn, Ashlynn, Josslynn, Carson and Brantley.
A celebration of Dwayne's life will be held at 1:00 P.M., Sunday, September 25, 2016 at All Faiths Funeral Chapel, Smith Center, KS, with Pastor Randy Hill officiating. Visitation will be held Saturday, September 24th from 5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. and Sunday, September 25, 9:00 A.M. until service. Burial will be in the Cedar Cemetery, Cedar, KS. Memorials may be given to the Reynold Dwayne "Mac" McGinnis Memorial Fund and sent in care of the funeral chapel.