Joe Ray McGinley, age 64, passed away on Friday, March 22, 2019, surrounded by friends and family at Baptist Integris Hospital. Joe was born on March 16, 1955, in El Reno, Oklahoma, to Dorothy and Jim McGinley. He graduated from El Reno High School in 1973 and made El Reno his home the rest of his life.
While growing up, Joe excelled in basketball, football and baseball, playing point guard, quarterback and shortstop for the El Reno Indians; his dream was to play for the University of Oklahoma and major league baseball. He attended Southwestern Junior College, the University of Oklahoma and Southwestern State University, planning on becoming a coach. After an accident in 1978 left Joe paralyzed, his life was changed forever.
The transition from an active young athlete to a wheelchair was difficult for him. His mom, Dorothy, dedicated her life to caring for him in the family home, providing the care only a mother could give. For many years, Joe donated his time and experience to the little league baseball programs in El Reno.
His home became the hangout for neighborhood kids. After completing their assigned tasks of pool and yard maintenance to Joe’s “standards,” he would allow them to swim in his pool. Joe’s mentoring, teaching and discipline helped many of these youth find the correct path in life.
Like no other Sooner, Joe loved the University of Oklahoma. On most fall Saturdays, he could be found in the south endzone of Owen Stadium, or watching his beloved Sooners on television with his buddies. For many years, Joe was responsible for contacting the members of the El Reno Lions Club to remind them of the upcoming luncheon; they always looked forward to his calls.
Joe is survived by his sister Jamie VonTungeln and husband Doug; brother Bob McGinley and wife Beth, uncle Joe Whipple and wife Myong Ja, aunts Judy Whipple and Donna Holman, step sister, Loretta Wooley, nephews Brandon McGinley, Steven VonTungeln, Todd McGinley and wife Fransen, Brad VonTungeln and wife Melissa, nieces Lindsey Vise and husband Charles, Laura Mitchell and husband Brad, Jennifer Isaacs, and many great nieces and nephews and cousins. Joe was preceded in death by his mother Dorothy Riley, father Jim McGinley, brother Joe Riley, Jr., uncles Raymond Whipple and Vernon McGinley. The family would like to especially thank Jerry Ruoff for his 30 plus years as a daily friend and caregiver for Joe and Angie Duncan, who was a caregiver to Joe’s mother Dorothy and became his primary caregiver upon her death.
A special thanks, also, to his other caregivers over the years and his friends that stood by him through his difficult life journey. There will be a viewing on Thursday, March 28, 2019, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Wilson’s Funeral Home, 100 S. Barker Avenue in El Reno. Memorial Services will be held on Friday, March 29, 2019, at 11:00 A.M. in the Wesley United Methodist Church, 101 S. Barker Avenue in El Reno officiated by Pastor Allen Carson and Rev.
Charlie Blount of the First Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the El Reno Public Schools Athletic Fund P.O. Box 580 El Reno, OK. 73036 or a charity of your choice.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Joe Ray McGinley please visit our Sympathy Store.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
