Michael John McGirney

Michael was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends. While we are absolutely heartbroken by the loss, there is solace in knowing he will be reunited with his mother and father once again.

Born in Philadelphia on March 10, 1955, Michael grew up with siblings Joe, Mark, and Kathy. About ten years ago, he discovered long-lost half-sister Sharon and was thankful to get to know her during his adult life.

Michael graduated from La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. He had many fond memories of his time there, always sharing the antics he got into and meeting the people who have become his best friends.

He received his Juris Doctorate from John Marshall Law School in Chicago, IL and went on to expand and practice with multiple nationally based firms throughout the greater Tampa Bay area. He was a certified mediator and arbitrator. A prominent figure in the Florida legal community, Michael enjoyed all aspects of his work, from mentoring his younger peers to keeping judges on their toes in the court room. His professional accomplishments included many honors such as Florida Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of Distinction, and Florida Super Lawyer.

Michael had an amazing knack for befriending everyone, whether it was his seat neighbor at a Lightning game or someone in line to vote. He always had a way of making you feel welcome. He was known for telling and retelling, and retelling his favorite stories to all that would listen. Many of us know them by heart and would get to the punchline long before he could.

Michael loved to spend his free time volunteering with Metropolitan Ministries and Feeding Tampa Bay, among many other organizations. A longtime Philadelphia sports fan, he “converted” after moving to Tampa and has been a loyal Lightning supporter ever since; raising his children to share that love.

An avid traveler, he has visited countless countries around the world. One of his favorite memories was travelling across Ireland with his mother and brothers. Michael had hoped to go back with his children and wife one day and enjoy a pint(s) of Guinness in a true Irish pub. Combining his love for sports and travel, vacations would almost always include professional sporting events, ultimately leading to Michael visiting almost every MLB ballpark, and most NHL arenas and NFL stadiums.

His proudest accomplishment was being a loving husband to Terri, father to Matthew, Katie, Andrew, and Sarah, and Grandfather to Myiem, Paz, and Sol. The love he had for his family and the pride he had in his children was apparent to anyone who talked to him. Michael was preceded in death by his mother, Patricia Carney, and father, Alfred Marsini.

We are all so lucky to have had Michael in our lives, and will carry him in our hearts and continue to share his stories forever.

A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, January 30th, at Blount & Curry FH-MacDill (605 S MacDill Ave, FL 33609). All are welcome to join the family for the service at 11:00am, followed by a 12:00pm reception.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.blountcurrymacdill.com for the McGirney family. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in Michael’s honor to Metropolitan Ministries and Feeding Tampa Bay.