June 1, 1925 – June 10, 2014
Paul David McGuiness, 89, formerly of Sweet Home, died June 10, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nev.
He was born June 1, 1925 as Paul David Summers in Blytheville, Ark.
On Dec. 21, 1931, at the age of 6 after living at the Arkansas Children’s Home, he was separated from his brothers and sister and adopted by Herbert and Bertha McGuiness in Little Rock, Ark. From that time forward he became Paul David McGuiness.
His parents Herbert, a stockbroker, and Bertha, a homemaker, moved with him to West Chicago, Ill, shortly after he was adopted.
In the early 1932 Herbert McGuiness died, leaving his wife and new son alone. At a young age Paul McGuiness began working odd jobs to help support himself and his mother. He graduated in 1943 from West Chicago Community High School and entered the Army. His military campaigns included Central Europe and Rhineland. While in the Philippines, he contracted Dengue (Dingo) fever a virus carried by mosquitoes. He became very ill and was placed on a hospital ship and sent home.
Mr. McGuiness was honorably discharged Sept. 2, 1945. He received two overseas service bars, American Campaign Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the Good Conduct Medal.
After returning home, he attended Northern Illinois State Teachers College, graduating in 1950. He began teaching elementary school in Ardmore, Ill., thenmarried Ruth Lorraine Bird and later moved to San Diego, Calif., where he continued teaching. They had two daughters, Diana and Debbie.
A few years later, after separating from his wife, Mr. McGuiness moved with his two daughters to Ontario, where he worked on a ranch for awhile. The three of them later moved to Parma, Idaho, where he began teaching again, at the Parma Elementary School.
In Parma, he met Betty Louise Hoffman who was widowed and the mother of three children, Theresa, Douglas and Kevin. They married and shortly thereafter moved to Sweet Home.
In Sweet Home, Mr. McGuiness taught elementary school and coached junior high football, earning the nickname “MAC” or “Mr. MAC” from his players.
During the summers he worked for the U.S. Forest Service and cut a lot of firewood for his family. He always said, “I haven’t been warm since I left Arkansas.”
He retired from teaching in Sweet Home in 1987 but continued as a substitute teacher for another 12 years.
In the 1980s the McGuinesses began searching for his brothers and sister, whom he had not seen since he was a child.
They located his brothers, living in Arkansas, and a sister in California. Mr. McGuiness kept in touch with his brothers and his sister until the brothers’ deaths. The family does not know where his sister is currently located or if she is still living.
Over the years the McGuinesses traveled Europe and other parts of the world. Mr. McGuiness always said Ireland was his favorite place to visit. They visited Ireland several times.
Mr. McGuiness is survived by his daughter Diana of Pahrump, Nev., stepdaughter Theresa Galloway of North Plains, and stepson Kevin Hoffman of Sweet Home; and nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife Betty; his mother and father; two brothers; his daughter Debbie; and his stepson Douglas.
A memorial service is planned for 10 a.m. Friday, June 20, at Heritage Springs in Las Vegas, Nev.