Official Obituary of
Lila Sprague McGinnis
May 29, 1924 ~ March 4, 2021 (age 96) 96 Years Old
Lila McGinnis Obituary
Lila Sprague McGinnis, 96, of Elyria died March 4, 2021 in her home. She was born May 29, 1924 in Ashtabula Harbor, Ohio and was a 1941 graduate of Hubbard High School. Lila attended Kent State University prior to WWII, then taught elementary school during the war. She married Richard W. McGinnis in 1944, a Navy Lieutenant J.G. when he was on leave while his ship was in for repairs but he returned to service in the South Pacific and she returned to teaching. She completed her education at The Ohio State University when the war ended.
They moved to Ithaca, New York while her husband completed a Master's degree and she taught school. They returned to Columbus, Ohio for her husband's job with Franklin County.
In 1955 they moved to Elyria, Ohio when her husband became the Director of the Lorain County Regional Planning Commission. Lila was active in PTA, church and being a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout volunteer. When three of her children were going to be in college at the same time she happily found work at the Elyria Public Library as the Children's Librarian - a job which she thoroughly enjoyed for many years. Over the years, Dick frequently got the children out of the house on Saturdays for hiking and fishing to give Lila the time she needed to work on her writing.
She was first published in 1952 in the New York Times, a bit of light verse. She proceeded to hone her craft and eventually sold five children's books, two adult novels, 68 short stories to Good Housekeeping and other magazines and many poems. Lila taught evening classes in writing at Lorain County Community College for several years. Lila was a member of two writer's groups which continue to this day.
Lila is survived by her daughter, Leslie, of Elyria, with whom she made her home, and sons, Ben McGinnis of Hope, Maine and Richard (Beth) McGinnis of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois.
She was preceded in death by her husband of forty four years, Richard W. McGinnis in 1989, son, Ralph in 2018, parents, Lynn and Florence Sprague (nee White), her brother, David Sprague and a sister, Ethel Jensen.
A Celebration of Life service will be Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 5:30 pm at Henry’s Barn at North Star Preserve, 46223 US-20, Oberlin, Ohio 44074. An open house will follow until 8:00 pm. Please join family and friends to honor her life as a writer, librarian, great friend and the best mother a child could have.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Lorain County Metro Parks, 12882 Diagonal Road, LaGrange, Ohio 44050,or The Elyria Public Library Foundation, Inc., 320 Washington Avenue, Elyria, Ohio 44035.
Celebration of Life
Henry's Barn at North Star Preserve
Saturday, September 11, 2021
5:30 PM
46223 US-20
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
Friends & Family Gathering
Henry's Barn at North Star Preserve
Saturday, September 11, 2021
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
46223 US-20
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
They moved to Ithaca, New York while her husband completed a Master's degree and she taught school. They returned to Columbus, Ohio for her husband's job with Franklin County.
In 1955 they moved to Elyria, Ohio when her husband became the Director of the Lorain County Regional Planning Commission. Lila was active in PTA, church and being a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout volunteer. When three of her children were going to be in college at the same time she happily found work at the Elyria Public Library as the Children's Librarian - a job which she thoroughly enjoyed for many years. Over the years, Dick frequently got the children out of the house on Saturdays for hiking and fishing to give Lila the time she needed to work on her writing.
She was first published in 1952 in the New York Times, a bit of light verse. She proceeded to hone her craft and eventually sold five children's books, two adult novels, 68 short stories to Good Housekeeping and other magazines and many poems. Lila taught evening classes in writing at Lorain County Community College for several years. Lila was a member of two writer's groups which continue to this day.
Lila is survived by her daughter, Leslie, of Elyria, with whom she made her home, and sons, Ben McGinnis of Hope, Maine and Richard (Beth) McGinnis of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois.
She was preceded in death by her husband of forty four years, Richard W. McGinnis in 1989, son, Ralph in 2018, parents, Lynn and Florence Sprague (nee White), her brother, David Sprague and a sister, Ethel Jensen.
A Celebration of Life service will be Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 5:30 pm at Henry’s Barn at North Star Preserve, 46223 US-20, Oberlin, Ohio 44074. An open house will follow until 8:00 pm. Please join family and friends to honor her life as a writer, librarian, great friend and the best mother a child could have.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Lorain County Metro Parks, 12882 Diagonal Road, LaGrange, Ohio 44050,or The Elyria Public Library Foundation, Inc., 320 Washington Avenue, Elyria, Ohio 44035.
Celebration of Life
Henry's Barn at North Star Preserve
Saturday, September 11, 2021
5:30 PM
46223 US-20
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
Friends & Family Gathering
Henry's Barn at North Star Preserve
Saturday, September 11, 2021
5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
46223 US-20
Oberlin, Ohio 44074
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