Dr. John A. Maguire, II, father, grandfather, husband, mentor, teacher, scholar and friend, passed away peacefully at his home in Allen, Texas, on January 26, 2022, after a prolonged illness. John was born on November 5, 1936, in Montgomery, Alabama, to Mattie and John “Jack” Maguire. He was the middle child, having an older sister and younger brother.
After completing his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from Birmingham Southern University, he earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University. Following graduation in 1963, he moved to Dallas, Texas, and joined the faculty of Southern Methodist University (SMU), the only employer John had ever known. During his nearly 50 years of teaching, John positively impacted hundreds of students, many of whom went on to become scientists, doctors and educators. John served as Associate Dean of what was then SMU's University College from 1976-1979 and as Dean from 1979-1980. He was also Dean for General Education at Dedman College from 1980-1981 and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in fall 1984. He served as acting chair of the Chemistry Department from 2000-2001 and as chair in 2008.
Professor Maguire was honored with the University Distinguished Teaching Professor Award and Perrine Prize from the SMU chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. His major research focus was on structural and bonding studies of metallacarboranes and their application to nanomaterials, publishing 180 peer-reviewed articles and presenting papers at both national and international conferences. He retired in 2012 as Professor Emeritus of Chemistry.
In addition to being a dedicated teacher and scholar, John was an avid reader, student of history, and lover of opera, classical and jazz. He appreciated a good glass of wine or a scotch on the rocks. John was preceded in death by his wife of 35 years, Carolyn “Lynn” Baxter; sister, Miriam Myers (Al); and brother, Bill (Linda). He is survived by his son John, III and his wife, Lori, and their two daughters, Mattie and Mary; daughter Christine and her husband, Don Hastings; and daughter Katheryn and her husband, Ron Kumon, and their child, Katelyn.
A celebration of his life is being planned for summer 2022. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the John Maguire Graduate Fund by visiting SMU’s giving page, https://link.smu.edu/giving/GiveNow. Please use the Search function by typing “Maguire”. The John Maguire Graduate Fund is the correct designation for memorial contributions in his honor.
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