Lenita (Arnold) McGinnis, 82, passed away Saturday, March 5, 2011 at Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka, KS. Lenita was born April 21, 1928, daughter of Ray and Viola (Askren) Arnold in Holton, KS. She graduated from Holton High School in 1946 and worked for J.C. Penneys, Holton Arcadia Theatre and the Telephone Company in Holton, KS until she married Dale McGinnis, August 15, 1948. After 62 years of marriage, Dale passed away on September 30, 2010. In January 2011, Lenita moved to Homestead Assisted Living in Topeka. Dale and Lenita had five children, Daniel and his wife Barbara, Topeka, KS; daughter, Leah and her husband Tim Cole of Edmond, OK; Doug and his wife Connie, of Broken Arrow, OK; daughter, Linda and her husband Warren Woodruff, of Topeka, KS and son Don and his wife, Jean of Topeka, KS, all who survive.
Lenita had 8 grandchildren, Brandi Wells, Alyson Mitchell, Grady Woodruff, Shelby McGinnis and Crystal Holmes all of Topeka, KS; Billie Dale McGinnis, Norman, OK; Rhiannon Tuck, Ft. Scott, KS and Kelly Urban, Stillwater, OK. They were blessed with 10 great grandchildren. She was a special grandmother to all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Lenita had one brother, Harold Arnold of Manhattan, KS who survives and many nieces and nephews whose lives she had touched. In addition, Lenita is survived by a host of friends and "adopted children" as their home was always made open to all of their children's friends and anyone who needed a friend. Lenita loved her family, enjoyed the Christmas holiday and making candy for all of her family and friends. She was an avid K-State fan, loved and enjoyed life to the fullest and will never be forgotten. Her gift of quick wit, sense of humor and patience gave her the strength to raise the five children, as well as being a mother to many others including her children's spouses giving her not only 5 children, but 10 children who loved her dearly.
Lenita enjoyed being a homemaker while raising her 5 children. When the youngest of their 5 children began school, Lenita went to work for the Dillons stores in Pratt, KS and then continued working for Dillons when they moved to Topeka in 1971. Lenita worked for Dillons until she retired in 1990 to move to Branson, MO where she and Dale were co-owners and operated Brills Rainbow Resort with Dale's sister, Janice and her husband, Paul Derfelt until the resort was sold. They returned to Topeka in 2003.
Lenita was a member of Grace United Methodist Church. Lenita and her family had a special bond to the Livestrong Foundation as a result of Dale's cancer and believed in its philosophies and what it stands for. Memorial contributions may be made to Lance Armstrong Foundation, National Mail Processing Center, P.O. Box 6002, Albert Lea, MN 56007-6002 or by going online to Livestrong.org or Grace United Methodist Church, 2627 SW Western, Topeka, Kansas 66611.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 9, 2011 at the Grace United Methodist Church, 2627 SW Western, Topeka, Kansas with interment at the Holton Cemetery, Holton, KS. Visitation will be at Mercer Funeral Home, 1101 W. 4th, Holton, Kansas from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8, 2011.