Donald Thomas Ginn, 95, a longtime local contractor of Parsons, died at 2:20 p.m., Thursday, February 14, 2013, at Woodridge Estates in Parsons where he had resided since December of 2009.
He was born June 18, 1917, in Blue Earth, Minnesota, to Thomas Elton and Hazel (Hainsworth) Ginn. At the age of 12, he moved to Kansas where he lived in the Dennis and Stark areas before moving to Parsons.
He and Maxine A. Olson were married in May of 1936. She preceded him in death on January 20, 1956, after the birth of their eleventh child. On June 21, 1957, he married Alpha E. (Chastain) Cornell. She preceded him in death on July 10, 1999.
He served in the United States Army. For a short time, Mr. Ginn worked for the M-K-T Railroad before becoming a local contractor in Parsons where he worked with his father and later his two sons, Leon and Ronnie, for many years. After selling his business, he moved to Bernice, Oklahoma, where he lived until September of 1976. At that time, he returned to Parsons where he had lived since.
He was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Parsons and, for many years, belonged to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. As a Jack-of-all-trades, he gave many hours of his time to the residents of Parsons and was always willing to help others.
Surviving children include:
Patricia Kanute Girard, KS
Leon Ginn and wife, Harriett Edmond, OK
Ronald Ginn Owasso, OK
Janice Hentzen Parsons, KS
Sharon Hopkins and husband, Tim Port Mansfield, TX
Cheryl Jefferson and husband, Bob Parsons, KS
Debbi Baugher and husband, David Parsons, KS
Stepchildren - David Cornell and wife, Verlene Parsons, KS
Earl Cornell and wife, Carolyn Palmdale, CA
Numerous Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren
Numerous Nieces and Nephews
He was preceded in death by four children, an infant son, Jerry Ginn, Stephen Ginn and Pamela Ginn; two stepsons, Lee Cornell and Arthur Ryan; one grandson, Rick Kanute; one step-grandson, Chris Cornell; two sons-in-law, Jack Hentzen and Gerald Kanute; one daughter-in-law, Judy Ginn; an infant brother, and seven sisters, Maxine Anderson, Elsie Phillips, Carol Janssen, Deanne Grosshans, Olive Olson, Nona Wintersteen and Neva Kelly.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 18, 2013, at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, near Dennis. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00 p.m., Sunday, at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Parsons Church of the Nazarene or Woodridge Estates. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donald Thomas Ginn, please visit our flower store.
He was born June 18, 1917, in Blue Earth, Minnesota, to Thomas Elton and Hazel (Hainsworth) Ginn. At the age of 12, he moved to Kansas where he lived in the Dennis and Stark areas before moving to Parsons.
He and Maxine A. Olson were married in May of 1936. She preceded him in death on January 20, 1956, after the birth of their eleventh child. On June 21, 1957, he married Alpha E. (Chastain) Cornell. She preceded him in death on July 10, 1999.
He served in the United States Army. For a short time, Mr. Ginn worked for the M-K-T Railroad before becoming a local contractor in Parsons where he worked with his father and later his two sons, Leon and Ronnie, for many years. After selling his business, he moved to Bernice, Oklahoma, where he lived until September of 1976. At that time, he returned to Parsons where he had lived since.
He was a member of the Church of the Nazarene in Parsons and, for many years, belonged to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. As a Jack-of-all-trades, he gave many hours of his time to the residents of Parsons and was always willing to help others.
Surviving children include:
Patricia Kanute Girard, KS
Leon Ginn and wife, Harriett Edmond, OK
Ronald Ginn Owasso, OK
Janice Hentzen Parsons, KS
Sharon Hopkins and husband, Tim Port Mansfield, TX
Cheryl Jefferson and husband, Bob Parsons, KS
Debbi Baugher and husband, David Parsons, KS
Stepchildren - David Cornell and wife, Verlene Parsons, KS
Earl Cornell and wife, Carolyn Palmdale, CA
Numerous Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren
Numerous Nieces and Nephews
He was preceded in death by four children, an infant son, Jerry Ginn, Stephen Ginn and Pamela Ginn; two stepsons, Lee Cornell and Arthur Ryan; one grandson, Rick Kanute; one step-grandson, Chris Cornell; two sons-in-law, Jack Hentzen and Gerald Kanute; one daughter-in-law, Judy Ginn; an infant brother, and seven sisters, Maxine Anderson, Elsie Phillips, Carol Janssen, Deanne Grosshans, Olive Olson, Nona Wintersteen and Neva Kelly.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 18, 2013, at Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons. Burial will be at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, near Dennis. The family will receive friends from 5-7:00 p.m., Sunday, at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Parsons Church of the Nazarene or Woodridge Estates. These may be left at or mailed to Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, KS 67357.
Online condolences may be left at www.forbeshoffman.com. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Donald Thomas Ginn, please visit our flower store.
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