Pearl Lucy Kirkorian McGinnis

My mother, Pearl Lucy McGinnis, passed away quietly in her sleep on the beautiful afternoon of September 18, 2021. She was 97 years old. She was born Markarid Lucy Kirkorian in New York City, but soon moved to Paterson, New Jersey. She grew up in a multi-lingual neighborhood and was independent, inclusive and adverturous from childhood; she delighted in recounting how she and her friends often scrabbled up and down the Palisades near the Hudson River and that she frequently rode the subway from the age of 7. During her teenage years, my mother’s free time was centered around dance lesson where she cultivated two lifelong friendships. At 19, her sister Rose moved to California to marry a grape farmer and my mother accompanied her. The following year my mother attended Fresno State College where she met Harold McGinnis on her first day of school. They married in 1947 and shared a loving devoted partnership – dancing during parish events, traveling the world on ship and river cruises. Supporting one another during difficult times – for 68 years until my father’s death in 2015.

During her first years of marriage in Madera she opened the Cloverleaf Dance Studio where she taught tap, ballet and gymnastics. A few years later she began her career as a public school teacher at Ripperdan School. There she met Ray and Gladys McCall who, because she lost her parents, became loving grandparents to me and my sister. She led the Glee Club group where her good friend Connie Barsotti accompanying on the piano during her years as Kindergarten teacher at James Monroe and James Madison Elementary Schools. She organized the library and developed a comprehensive reading program at Millview School. Mom found the time to encourage the talents of my sister and me: taking up to swim meets, diving and gymnastic competitions, piano and violin lessons: always attending with our father our recitals, concerts and plays. She took us to Camp Fire Girls events and gave her time as a counselor during summer camp. She devoted weekends taking my sister to diving meets.

I cannot recall a time when my mother was not an active volunteer. As a child, I remember her attending and holding office in the YLI of St. Joachim’s Church. I would accompany her to the church Saturday afternoons to help her change the flowers placed there for Sunday Mass. She sang in the church choir.

During my teens, we would conduct an annual pilgrimage to downtown Fresno together in the early days of Channel 18 PBS to volunteer during the Spring pledge drives. Mom loved to work toward causes she wanted to support and build new friendships.

After 35 years of service teaching in Madera Unified School District she embraced life as a volunteer. She became a Eucharistic Minister at St. Joachim’s Church. She was passionate about animals and she drove to the Chaffee Zoo twice weekly to walk the llamas or drive a menagerie snakes, ferrets and raptors in order to encourage stewardship and respect for animals in others. In her 70’s she even camped out during Zoo Night. She gave thousands of hours to support the gift shop at the Madera Community Hospital. She would bring home a tiny souvenir plate from Copenhagen or a Fenton pitcher she had unearthed while spending a Saturday afternoon behind the cash register at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift shop. She was a docent for years at the Madera County Historical Museum. She had taught herself to use a computer and word processor and was responsible for the accounting of membership dues. You could find her there selling and collecting tickets during the Christmas Gala and the ice Cream Social. My mother’s contributions were not newsworthy but they provided her with tremendous satisfaction and the excitement of learning new skills. They gave others the opportunity to enjoy her steadfast friendship and benefit from her unwavering dedication.

During my early teens she decided to learn Duplicate Bridge which she avidly enjoyed, joing groups in Madera, Fresno and Oakhurst. We celebrated her 95th birthday during a bridge game in Oakhurst. She became an excellent player. When she was no longer able to travel for Bridge games she played it on line. As our mutual friend Judy Hecht recently wrote to me: “I had so many good times with her playing bridge in Oakhurst and in Fresno. She was a good, patient, and kind bridge player.”

Mom kept up on current events and was unafraid to voice her opinion of them. Maintaining connection with family and friends was of utmost importance she never failed to send a card to commemorate birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, congratulations or encouragement. She loved to read historical novels and murder mysteries. She found the time to knit afghans for our home, cross-stitch pictures, tablecloths and baby blankets for friends, and sew a costume or crochet sweaters to satisfy her daughters’ whims. She needlepointed tapestries and a piano bench cover for our home. In her 50’s she learned to quilt and created several for our family. I remember trips to the ceramics store in Madera. She painted and fired bisque figures to create an entire porcelain crèche procession which remains a family treasure. In addition, she leaves behind her daughters Maureen McGinnis and Azza Gerringer; her grandson Elin McLain with his wife Anie and Mom’s great-granddaughter Ensley; and her granddaughter Sylvana with her husband Matthew Klein.

Her favorite musical was My Fair Lady and I remember her taking us to an outdoor production of it when I was a child. She loved the stylization of Frank Sinatra’s music. I asked my mother recently why the song “My Way” was her favorite tune. “Because”. She replied, “the lyrics reflect how I lived my life.”

Composed by Maureen McGinnis