McGill, Thomas Joseph

Thomas Joseph McGill, age 92, retired Insurance Executive, loving husband and father died on Thursday, May 26th, 2011. Mr. McGill was born in Erie, PA, to the late Thomas J. McGill, Sr. and Florence (Weir) McGill but spent most of his life in Cleveland, Ohio. In his youth he was a Life Boy Scout and in high school he played football and was a quarter miler on the track team. He was drafted into the Army in 1941 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1942. He spent 32 months in the South Pacific and the Philippines rising to the rank of Captain with the 471st AAA Battalion. He continued his service in the US Army Reserves until he retired in 1968 as a Lt Colonel. In 1948-50 he attended Western Reserve University and started working in the casualty and property insurance business and retired in 1984 as a branch manager of Ohio and Michigan for a large eastern insurance company. Mr. McGill served on many insurance boards and committees in the Cleveland area. He was the past President of the Cleveland Insurance Manager‘s Association, and was a member of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce. He was also President of the Cleveland Army Chapter of the Reserve Officer‘s Association for two years, the state President in 1966-67, and National Councilman in 1967-68. He was the moving force in Ohio in raising funds for the new national headquarters in Washington, DC. He was a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College. In 1969 he ran for and was elected Councilman in Richmond Heights, Ohio. He was also elected as President of the Council during his service. Mr. McGill was an active member of Saint Paschal Baylon Church for 30 years, and was very involved with the building fund campaign for the new church and school building. In 1970 he graduated from the College of Insurance Management Program at Princeton University. In 1986 he and his wife Marge moved to Pinehurst, NC after visiting yearly since 1972. Tom is survived by his dear wife Marge and daughter Linda. Tom and Marge were married 63 years ago on October 18th, 1947 at St. Ann‘s Catholic Church in Cleveland Hts., Ohio. His daughter Linda McGill and husband George Tangalakis live in Novi, MI and she is a retired Director of Communications for General Motors Corporation. In Pinehurst, Mr. McGill continued his service to his country and community. He was a member of Sacred Heart church, a Eucharistic minister, and member of the Parish Council (1988-1990). He was a 4th Degree Knight of the Knights of Columbus, member of the Elks Lodge and Pinehurst Country Club. He also served as an election precinct judge for several years in Pinehurst. The family will receive friends at Boles Funeral Home in Pinehurst on Monday, May 30, 2011 from 4 to 7 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at 11am Tuesday May 31st, 2011at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Pinehurst with Msgr. Frank Hendrick officiating. Rite of Committal will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington at a later date. Memorial donations can be made in memory of Thomas McGill to the Disabled American Veterans Moore County Chapter 83 at 1020 Priest Hill Road Carthage, NC 28327 or the American Heart Association at 202 Center Port Drive Suite 130 Greensboro, NC 27409.