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William Thomas "Tom" McGinnis

March 19, 2019 | By slarson
William Thomas Tom McGinnis, 78, of Corning, Kansas, died in his home Sunday, March 17, 2019. He was born in Norton, Kansas, July 21, 1940, to Hugh and Christina Michaels McGinnis. He grew up in the Norton community and was involved in football and wrestling during his youth. He graduated from Norton High School with the class of 1958 and attended Kansas State University, studying agronomy. He was employed by Malvern Lake before he was activated into the U.S. Army in 1962. He married Sally D. Wright Feb. 17, 1962, in Manhattan. The couple made their home in Junction City while Tom was stationed with the U.S. Army at Fort Riley. They lived in Council Grove from 1970-1977 before living in Emporia for several years. In addition to his service with the U.S. Army, Tom was later a member of the Kansas Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion,130th Field Artillery. Tom graduated from Emporia State College in 1976. In 1979, he and Sally moved to Salina before making their final home in Seneca in 1998. Sally passed away April 16, 1999, after 32 years of marriage. Tom worked for the Internal Revenue Service for 18 years before opening Tom McGinnis Tax and Accounting in Seneca. He retired in 2017.On June 30, 2001, he married Martha Adkins at the Seneca United Methodist Church. The couple lived in Oneida until 2011, when they moved east of Corning. He was a member of the American Legion Post 21 and the VFW Post 7458, both of Seneca, and was a past member of the Seneca Chamber of Commerce. He enjoyed woodworking, westerns, basketball, football, baseball, playing cards, reading, western music and going to the casino. He was a past Boy Scout Leader and a past umpire for baseball and basketball in the Salina community. Besides his parents and first wife, he was preceded in death by a sister, Cleta Mulder; and step-children, Ginger Flower and Robert A. Terry. He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Martha, of the home; children, Jimmy McGinnis, Kansas City, Kansas; Joann McAuliffe, Sabetha; Faye Warders, Junction City; Rebecca Knox, Navarre; Christina Clark, Hiawatha; Patricia McGinnis, Salina; and Tammy Haggerty, Centralia; step-children John S. Ralph II, Tampa, Florida; Travis Ralph, Seneca; Kelly Rae Nitz, Tonganoxie; Keith Terry, Nancy Tilton and Robin Jones, all of Highland; 32 grandchildren; and numerous great-grandchildren. A visitation will be held at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca on Thursday, March 21, 2019, from 5 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be in Abilene. Tom will be laid to rest next to his first wife, Sally, at the Navarre Cemetery in Navarre.