Jayne Mary McGinnis

Austin, Texas – Longtime Austin resident Jayne Mary McGinnis died January 5, 2023 of complications from breast cancer.

She was born in Santa Rosa, California June 27, 1949, to Loretta A. Henderson and William H. Henderson, owners of Gardners Aid. Jayne attended Ursuline High School, a private Roman Catholic school for girls in Santa Rosa. Many of her classmates became lifelong friends. Her friends convinced her to participate in a semester at sea program allowing her to travel the world aboard a ship while taking college courses. Jayne’s semester at sea began in Long Beach, California and went west.

In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, she met Campbell McGinnis, a student from Texas. Together, they had a wonderful time touring ports in Asia and Africa before disembarking in New York. Jayne returned to California and attended UC Davis, but the relationship that began as a brief shipboard romance was just getting started. Campbell and Jayne were married in Santa Rosa, California in 1970.

They took up residence in Austin, Texas and both attended the University of Texas at Austin. Jayne graduated with a degree in sociology and Campbell with a degree in business administration. Then it was off to law school at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio for Campbell while Jayne worked at the library of University of Texas at San Antonio to “put hubby through.” After Campbell graduated from law school they moved back to Austin and took up residence in the Bryker Woods neighborhood. These were exciting times. Jayne gave birth to 3 children, Bill in 1978, Devon in 1980 and Paul in 1985. Jayne excelled at being a parent. She loved her children and was deeply involved in each of their lives from the moment they got up in the morning until they went to bed at night.

When the children became older, Jayne found more time to be of help to others. For many years she volunteered full-time at the Marbridge Foundation where she worked with cognitively disabled individuals. She liked the abilities centered approach and the pride the individuals developed in being able to accomplish tasks. The greenhouse at Marbridge also gave her an outlet to express her love of plants. Jayne liked anything that would grow in a pot, and even more if it needed watering. As a member of the Austin Junior League Jayne volunteered for many projects even heading up the drive for funds to support the food bank in central Texas one year.

Even though Jayne adapted to Texas, she remained Californian at heart. Often, she returned to California for vacations to visit with friends and family and enjoy the northern California coast, redwoods, and vineyards. To her credit Jayne also returned to California to care for her father and mother in their last illnesses.

Jayne never knew a stranger and frequently gave her time and talents to others. She was the type of person who would gift a soccer ball to the cashier at Taco Shack because he’d mentioned that his son wanted one. Her “Happy Day Presents” were well-known, not because it was your birthday or any other special day, but because she saw something that made her think of you. Her post-it notes with her signature smiley face and her distinct font-like handwriting were renowned for brightening your day. Case in point, Jayne’s mailperson has her notes covering his mail truck dashboard. She once said she was the only person “brave enough” to bring homemade cookies for her dentist. Everywhere she went people would light up when they saw her, she moved through the world with love and kindness – always leaving smiles in her wake.

Jayne is survived by all of her children as well as 6 grandchildren: Bill McGinnis and his son Hayes; Devon McGinnis Carpenter, her husband John Carpenter and children Kirsten, Cadence, Etta, Aesha and Wynn Carpenter; Paul McGinnis and his fiancée Molly Wallace.

Burial will be at a private family service at Austin Memorial Park. Jayne’s famous line to family and friends when gifting plants to her brown-thumbed friends was “just enjoy it while it lasts,” which reverberates especially loud now. How we all enjoyed our time with Jayne, while it lasted.