Michael (Mike) M. McGinnis —beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend—died on August 3, 2026, after a brief illness at the age of 83.

Mike was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Robert L. and Mary R. (Phelps) McGinnis. He grew up in Minneapolis, graduating from West High School. After his appointment to the United States Naval Academy, Mike earned his BA and master's degree with a concentration on library sciences from the University of Minnesota. His first position as a librarian was at Southwest State University in Marshall, Minnesota.

After accepting the position of head librarian at Itasca Community College (ICC) in 1972, Mike moved to Grand Rapids, Minnesota, with his first wife, Susan, and their two young daughters. Over the next 6 years, three more daughters joined the family at the home on Prairie Lake.

The tiny Village Bookstore came into the McGinnis family in 1980; it was then located across from Kremer's Store on Highway 2. When the Central Square Mall opened in 1984, the bookstore moved into a much larger space there, then again into an even larger space in 1995. After retiring from ICC in 2000, Mike ran the bookstore until he sold it in 2016. During his 36 years as a bookseller, he sold innumerable new and used books. He particularly promoted books about Minnesota and by Minnesotan authors. The man could curate a book selection for just about anyone.

Soon after Mike started dating Ann Clark in 2006, the two traveled extensively, notably to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, the UK, Europe, and Hawaii. When they married in 2011 on the Dixie, a sternwheeler paddle boat in North Webster, Indiana, they were surrounded by their daughters, sons-in-law, and grandkids—and a lot of laughter and love.

Listing all the things and activities Mike enjoyed would be lengthy. Here are a few:

• A good game of Scrabble—but he could hardly ever win kids' board games.
• Christmas (especially the decorating)—he prided himself on giving thoughtful gifts.
• A bargain—he could never walk away from one and could MacGyver nearly anything.
• Good word play—he was quick with a quip.
• Good stories, whether in print or on screen—he loved BBC mysteries.

Preceded in death by his parents and son-in-law Tyson Conner, Mike is survived by his wife, Ann Clark; daughters Molly (Bob) Stine, Maureen (Matt) Ryan, Megan McGinnis, Maira (Brian) Simonson, and Meade (Ryan) Davis; stepdaughters Christy (Paul Simonson) Clark and Katy (Erik) Lunemann; grandchildren Josh, Jack, and Grace Ryan, Paul Davis, James Conner, Blair and Natalie Lunemann, and Spencer and Gabe Ryan and their families; sister Pat (Keith) Okeson; and nephew Evan Sargent and his family.

A celebration of life will be held at Libbey Funeral Home on Saturday, August 15. Visitation is at 1 p.m. with family remembrances at 2 p.m.; light refreshments and fellowship to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests gifts in Mike's memory to the ICC Foundation ( iccfoundation.org ) or to the Grand Rapids Area Community Foundation ( gracf.org/donate ), noting either the Grand Rapids Area Library Foundation Fund or the Reif Arts Council Endowment.