John Maginn believed a Catholic education should be accessible to all

John Leo Maginn was deeply devoted to Catholic education and a faithful supporter of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

For more than 25 years, Maginn and his wife, Carol, provided more than $400,000 in awards to Catholic school educators serving in inner city and underserved schools across northeast Nebraska through the Archbishop’s Dinner for Education.

The couple established these awards through the Maginn Family Foundation, illustrating their devotion to Catholic education and their belief that it should be accessible to every family who desired it for their children.

In addition to his financial support, Maginn devoted his time to several organizations, including many in Omaha: St. Pius X and St. Leo parishes, Creighton University, Catholic Charities, College of Saint Mary, Creighton Preparatory High School, Children’s Nebraska health care system, the Mammel Family Foundation, the Institute for Priestly Formation, the Omaha Catholic School Consortium and many more.

Maginn died on June 12, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 86.

Visitation will be held on Friday, June 19, at St. Leo the Great Parish in Omaha, from 5 to 7 p.m., immediately followed by a vigil service. A Mass of Christian Burial is set for 10 a.m., on June 20, also at St. Leo the Great.

Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Omaha.

A native of Omaha, Maginn was born on February 17, 1940. The oldest of three children, he graduated from the former Cathedral High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He graduated from Creighton University and earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. In 1963, John married Carol Varnes. The couple raised four children and welcomed 12 grandchildren.

Maginn worked for 36 years at Mutual of Omaha. After retirement he taught investment courses at Creighton University. He was an active member of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute and edited and authored two books on Managing Investment Portfolios.

Maginn was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Ruth Maginn, two grandchildren, Chester and Abby Verkuilen, and sister-in-law, Ruth Maginn. He is survived by his wife, Carol and his children: Mary Kay (Tom) Halpin, Karen (Doug) Burton, Colleen (Bob) Verkuilen and Matt (Carly) Maginn; grandchildren: Colleen, Patrick, Claire, and Nicholas Halpin, Caroline (Garrett) Kays, Natalie (Cooper) Reves, Jack Burton, Maggie Verkuilen, Lo and Ray Maginn; his brother Paul Maginn and his sister, Jean (John) Ullrich.