From The Daily Oklahoman, Sunday, July 5, 2009, Obituaries:

Ginn, Terry P., 65, insurance sales, died Thursday. Memorial services 10 a.m. Wednesday, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (Matthews, Edmond).

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I met Terry when I was 21 years old.  He interviewed me for a temporary position at his agency, a 3 week assignment cleaning out files.  It was a small agency: him, another (female) agent, and a receptionist.  After two weeks, they bought out my contract with the temp agency and brought me on full time.

They taught me to rate, taught me how to be an agent, and taught me about customer service and the insurance industry, an industry that has fed me and my family for nearly 16 years now.  I was with them when the Murrah building was bombed.  They were with me through very dark times in my own life, and got me the help I needed to get back on track and become the person I am today.

Terry was a great guy.  He was effusive, though it was sometimes plodding and painful, since his enthusiasm was about things other people found mundane. He never met a short story he couldn’t drag out into infinity, and he enjoyed talking to me about politics and basketball, two subjects that I loathe.

He was also generous and kind, and open-hearted and open-minded.  He was a big believer in prayer, and was the sort of person who made deep, lifelong friendships with interesting characters.

He loved God, OU women’s basketball, OU football, Thai food, and more than anything, his son Scott.  He was a dreamer, and he was a good friend.  I’m going to miss him, a lot.

Last year, my husband and I travelled to Oklahoma, and they got to meet each other.  It was a late afternoon lunch that went on for hours – nearly to dinner! - and I was so happy that they got to know and appreciate each other.

I got the call from his niece yesterday afternoon, just as our party was gearing up.  I cried for a bit, but I know that ultimately, he is at peace.  Lung cancer is a cruel, heartless bitch.

I hope he’s one of the angels assigned to watch over me now, as he did in life.  I’d really like that.