Page 320 - ShowSight, March 2020

IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH NEIL McGINNIS III
The dog world is filled with many participants. We know many of them. We see them everyday, talk to them, we get to know them and some become our close friends. We see the “movers and the shakers” that make things happen. Many are there. A select few make a big difference in our lives and in the future of our sport. Joe made a difference. A really big difference. He spent his life really getting to know “us”. Joe was everywhere and he always espoused the “fun” in the sport. He helped us promote our breeds, the AKC and made each of us feel special. His work with the Meet the Breeds booth competition was a prime example. He urged us to be better, to promote what we love and to share that with the world. To have fun. I treasure the time I spent working with Joe on Meet the Breeds. He made it fun.
His literary career mirrored his life. Promoting the sport. Urging us forward. Giving all of us a platform to display our achievements. Always positive. Never an unkind word or phrase. He raised the bar in his profession and kept it there. Remember Joe, he was one in a million, and he made a difference.
CHRISTOPHER L. SWEETWOOD
AKC DELEGATE, TRAP FALLS KC, AKC BOARD MEMBER, CLASS OF 2022
I can’t quite remember when I decided Joe McGinnis was for real. With his movie star good looks and larger than life personality, it might have been easy to dismiss him as a slick salesman. Funny, isn’t it? When we take the time to delve beneath the surface of some people, the treasures you may find. Joe was a plethora of riches!
We had lots of common interests, combining our dog talk with the- ater, art and our mutual love affair with New York City. Our greatest commonality though, was the love we shared about our friendships within the sport. We both sought the good and steered clear of the negatives. We could leave the dirt to others and revel in the many positives.
Each February we tried to keep our standing lunch date in NYC. This year was no exception, but it was not meant to be. We both knew he was very ill, but he went downhill quickly and irreversibly. There- fore, it’s a toast instead; to Joe McGinnis! As my Grandfather used to say, he was “a Person” (a huge compliment in Grandpa speak). Always more concerned with others than he was for himself. I will miss you, dear friend. You were for real!
With love
SUSAN SPRUNG
My Robert Black knew Joe long before I did, as Robert went to far more dog shows and had judging assign- ments while I stayed home to run our business. I met Joe at Westminster and then always saw him at Santa Barbara and Montgomery weekend where Joe sometimes stayed with us. And we always tried to connect when we both were in Palm Springs.
Besides his great knowledge when it came to dogs, Joe was the kind of person who was always available to help and jump in wherever needed. His congeniality was infectious and such a dapper dresser! And then there were his hats. In fact he left one here on his last visit which I now treasure.
Always up on his FaceBook posts, my favorite picture is his pose on the rooftop of New York, which will always remind me of the song from The Greatest Showman. Now re-titled: “This is Joe!”
318 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, MARCH 2020
ROBERT W. THOMAS