Lois Leona McGinty

Whether you knew her as Lois or Leona, Lois Leona Griess Duncan McGinty passed away November 11, 2013 at the age of 92. Please join us in celebrating her life November 14, 2013.
Born in Minnesota, she grew up (the youngest of three girls) in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where she graduated from High School before making her way to California near her sister Dorothy.
She worked in factories most of her career, starting with WWII in an airplane factory. After the war she helped make camping trailers, radio parts and electrical parts. She also did typing and filing, soldering, punching & pressing, waitressing and was a telephone operator.
In 1959, she and her daughter, Mary Jane, moved to Arkansas near her other sister, Beth, and it was here in Arkansas she remained. She learned to drive at age 38 and made up for lost time by driving the carpool to the Kearney’s factory every day from Prairie Grove to Fayetteville for more than 15 years.
In 1965 she joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church after attending meetings at the Prairie Grove Battlefield Park. At the meetings she met Hugh “Mike” McGinty and in 1966 they were married. They loved ingathering together, attending church activities and spending time with their family.
Leona retired from factory work in her 50’s, but wasn’t retired for long. She soon went back to the work force as a janitor at Lincoln Schools where she worked her way up to teachers’ aide until her hearing loss made that job impossible. After being retired for 20 years, her grandson, Kyle said if you’re bored and need more money, “Why don’t you go back to work? So at age 80, she once again went back to work, but this time for West Fork Schools also as a custodian, only retiring after 10 years when a fall left her dependent on a walker. While at the school her own grandchildren called her Grandma, so soon she was “Grandma” to all the students and many of the employees. Grandma loved working in the school system both times first with her grandkids in Lincoln and then in West Fork with her great-grandkids. She also loved the independence it gave her to have all her own friends again.
Lois was preceded in death by her husband Hugh Edward “Mike” McGinty, sisters Dorothy Edwards and Beth Mathias and parents Charles & Ethel Griess. She is survived by her daughter Mary Jane and husband Emmitt “Jr” Biswell of Prairie Grove, 3 grandchildren, Tracy & husband Robert Roebke of West Fork, Blake & Debra Biswell of Prairie Grove, and Kyle & Ashley Biswell of Fayetteville, & 10 great grandchildren.
We wish to thank Home Hospice and Home Helpers for giving us the tools to allow her to remain in her home until her passing. They were always there when we needed them. Also, Phyllis De Brandt, her caregiver for 2 ½ years helped to give her friendly companionship as well as care. She was by her side to the very end. We also want to thank the James Barnett family for their continuous visits over the years, allowing her to remain in touch with her church, their activities, the members and the bible studies and sermons.