Memories of Mark R. McGinly, Bucknell Class of '97

From Dad

What do you say about a son who was so many things to so many friends? He was dedicated to his career and yet, he achieved great balance in life concerning what was truly important.

Mark's mother and I remember the complete experience of his life from the time he joined our family on Christmas Eve 1974 until September 11, 2001. All the academic hard work and success in his short life came with prodding and encouragement. But that face-wide smile and gracious manner was with him his entire 26 years. Sports and competition played a big part in Mark's life, and he contributed in so many ways to baseball, soccer and football in his early years. How often he got the timely hit in baseball, and the six or seven three-point scores in a quarter to turn around a basketball game in high school. But by the time he reached college, it was golf that made him tick.

His brothers remember slices of his life and the experiences they enjoyed with him. His older brother Sean (now living in Los Angeles,) recalls their childhood times and brotherly competitiveness with fondness and laughter — especially about Mark's antics, which Sean often provoked. More recently he wondered over how much closer they had grown as men when they would visit together with us in Virginia or when Sean visited Mark in his New York. Sean, being reminded that he had not the patience to play past the fourth hole with Mark on any golf course because he relished the cheering at crucial moments in the sports of baseball and football he played, fought over why it had to be quiet on the tee box. Real men, Sean would bellow, could take the noise. As young men they learned to appreciate one another. Mark became the financial connection for Sean's movie making in LA. What a business pair they were turning out to be.

Mark's younger brother Drew, now a Naval Aviator, could drive Mark to distraction in his uniform. Mark's goal was to steal that uniform for just one night in New York. He just knew that wearing that uniform would give him overwhelming appeal to the charming women of New York. It is Drew who also remembers a side of Mark we sometimes forgot — children loved Mark.

He was sincere and caring in their eyes and he always enjoyed taking time with the little ones. He had encouraging and playful words for each and every child he encountered. He had a special way and a unique bond with them. Drew recognized this when he told us one of the biggest losses with Mark gone was that his future children would be deprived of their Uncle Mark and his caring and love.

Over the past few short months and days, Mark's mother and I have received countless notes providing memories of specific events from our friends, acquaintances and even people who started their stories with... "You don't know me, but I was Mark's friend..." These stories and the memories we have of Mark from them, and what we hoped was only folklore about some of his antics, are most precious and gratifying — we laugh and cry simultaneously just listening to and remembering them. And we have quite a few of our own.

Most recently, we received a note that began... "My name is Brian Halloran. I trade metals for Commercial Metals Company in Dallas." Brian goes on to tell us he had the pleasure of working with and befriending Mark. During a three-year stretch, he and Mark talked several times each week trading copper futures, discussing market conditions, telling stories and always having a little fun. Brian's experience was so much like many others. Mark was approachable, competent and always in an upbeat mood — he was the trader who seemed to bring people together, Brian tells us. As Brian notes, Mark did not put on facades. He was comfortable with who he was. What you saw was who Mark was and that was a lot.

While Bucknell golf coach Tommy Thompson is more likely to remember Mark hitting three consecutive tee shots into the woods on the same par three, Brian gives us a more characteristic golf story of when Mark was "in the moment," as he often was. The story from Brian goes that the green on the 18^th hole at the Long Island Club, where one of Mark's colleagues would play, is virtually unreachable in two shots and preceded by water. However, after stiffing a drive, Mark decided instead of laying up that he would pull his 3 wood and go for it. Brian describes the shot that followed as a PGA-quality smash that landed twelve feet from the hole. The story gets better, because the 18^th plays up to the clubhouse and a small crowd gathered to watch Mark's finish. Not to disappoint, Mark drained the putt for eagle without ever seeming to notice the pressure.

Then, of course, there is Mark's high school and Bucknell buddy and New York roommate Kevin Wenk, Bucknell Class of '96. Kevin brings Mark's life down to earth, recounting so many of their times together. They were a dynamic duo living and working in New York with Mark advising Kevin about how to dress in GQ style — no, that black belt won't go with those brown shoes. Kevin tells us he was just shy of Mark letting him dress himself when September 11th exploded.

For us, Mark's life is so special and full of great experiences. In many ways, as his father, I even knew I wanted to be more like Mark, and gratifying for me, Mark wanted to emulate some of my characteristics — we both recognize we would be better men for it. We were close. The Friday before September 11^th I had lunch in New York with Mark. The following Friday he was going to join me in Chicago for the concluding days of my international meeting, and in November he would have joined his brother Sean, me and my brother for some time together in Europe.

And so it goes...fond memories in a sea of sadness for those close to Mark. But life continues, and as difficult as our loss is, we know we are better for having Mark in our lives.

As appeared in Bucknell's Fire & Ice Magazine

Previous Home