Karen Jo McGinn

Karen Jo McGinn, Born Karen Jo Hoyt on February 1, 1947 in Hyannis Nebraska, passed unexpectedly on March 21, 2026 from complications caused by a heart attack. Her children were all at her bedside for her final goodbye.
She hated goodbyes and cried every time, whether it was when leaving her parents Nebraska ranch after a summer visit, or when her kids had to leave her and go back home to their lives.
She loved living in California, the weather suited her, but her heart was always in her beloved Sandhills. Windmills, Hummingbirds, Spring blooms, and chickens were always in her life. Her house and yard, testimony to that and her beautiful willfulness and strong spirit. DO NOT tell her to do something she did not want to do!
On January 6, 1964, at 16, she eloped and married Patrick James McGinn. Their truck then broke down, and they had to call her brother Gary and his wife Carolyn to come get them! Mom and dad were married 44 years.
She loved to Love. She loved a good joke, a beautiful poem, ALL things Disney, handmade crafts, knickknacks, playing dice/card/board games, football- especially the Broncos, pretty makeup and smelly lotions, the sunshine, hard work, the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, and her family.
She adored our family Fantasy football league, Book club, and her Saturday Bunco dates with her dear Hanna and Eagles sisters. In all of this, she could be counted on for good competition and a lot of smack talk. And she could always be counted on for the planning of food: her biscuits and gravy were legendary!
She was a lifelong student, and a talented craftsman. She sewed clothes for her kids when they were young, took up leatherwork and made belts and wallets for years, she painted - on fabric, wood, walls, and any place she could be creative. She had beautiful Calligraphy, learned to do her own acrylic nails, loved her garden, hens, and dogs. She was a chef at the Banning Unified School District for 30 years, and the bookkeeper and Secretary to the Eagles Aerie 3768.
She loved as hard as she lived and after dad passed, she met her second love: Chuckie, as she always called him. The Covid era slowed her down and she became a homebody. Taking care of Chuck filled her heart and days.
Dad, and Chuck (Charles Spires) preceded her in death, as did both her parents (Lawrence and Barbara Hoyt), her brother Gary, and her twin sisters Vicki and Sheri. My what a reunion she had! I'm not quite sure how the guys will share her time, but we know she is loving every minute of it!
For those of us she left behind, there is a hole we will never fill and she will be forever missed.
She leaves three daughters: Boni Richardson (Brad), Toni Walker (Brian), Hanna McGinn. Two sons: Ward McGinn (Christie) and Casey McGinn. sister Becky Younkin, Eleven grandchildren: Patrick Gilmer (Lily), Kaccee Johnson (Pat), Shannon Thompson, Brandi Johnson (Will), Jessi McGinn, Cory McGinn, Austin McGinn, Rian Jorgensen (Derick), Liem Walker, Sierra McGinn, and Richard Rogers. 7 Great Grandchildren: Lily, Korbin, Remington, Mikayla, Eli, Alina, Frankie, and Emberly. Mom found so much pride and joy in this family she and dad created! And we loved her so much.
There will be a small get together with mom on Thursday, March 26, 2026 from 2-5 pm at Weifels and Sons Mortuary, 50 East Nicolet St, Banning CA 92220. I lieu of flowers, we ask that you please send a donation to Guide Dogs of the Desert at https://guidedogsofthedesert.org/donate/.
We will have a celebration of life in May and we will provide more detail to family and friends at a later date.

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