Christina Sunas McGinnis

Christina Sunas McGinnis, 59, of Mooresville, NC passed away on Saturday, October 16^th, 2021.  Chris was born in Durham, NC on August 8^th, 1962, to Bill and Joanne Sunas.  She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition after spending her first two years of college at Tennessee Tech.  Wanting to use her education to help others in whatever challenges they might face, Chris then earned a master’s in Occupational Therapy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She spent her career in Occupational Therapy healing and providing hope to clients through the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC which was later renamed Atrium Health.  She met her husband-to-be, Jon McGinnis, while line-dancing at a country bar, luring him away from his blind date.  When he later asked for her number, she said he could look it up in the phone book if he wanted it badly enough.  He found her number and they were joyfully married on June 4, 1994, gifting the world two sons, William (25) and Alex (23).  Chris treasured her Greek Orthodox faith and was active in her home parish of St. Barbara’s Greek Orthodox Church in Durham, NC and later brought her immense talents and infectious joy to Mooresville, NC as she became a pillar of the community at St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church.

It was a great privilege to have been loved by Chris McGinnis.  She not only brought relief to her clients through her healing hands, she also brought healing to their hearts through her kindness and the inspiration of the immense joy she carried within her.  While many remember Chris’ infectious laugh and disarming sense of humor, it was really her sense of joy that made her such a special gift to those she encountered in life.  Every person she met was precious to her and she was one of those rare souls that somehow snuck past all your defenses to connect with your heart and make you feel safe and loved.  Chris was a haven not just for her family, friends, and clients but also especially for all the youth of her St. Luke parish family who were so cherished by her.  She carried an exuberant joy wherever she went, lightening everyone’s day, leaving a wake of laughter, and inspiring them with the same hope she clung to herself.  Chris knew that whatever challenges may come, if we simply embrace and love one another, we can handle anything.  Such was the irresistible light of her love and joy that she not only enriched every community she was part of, she also inspired them to become bearers of that same hope, love, and light as well.  She was a fierce friend, a trusted confidante, a mother without compare, her parents’ Sunshine Girl, and her husband’s everything.  She stood as a radiant witness of the self-offering love of God.  While the world has lost a bit of its light, we have all received a fervent intercessor before the throne of God.  May her memory be eternal.

Chris is survived by her devoted husband of 27 years, Jon; the lights of her life, her two sons, William of New York, NY and Alex of Mooresville, NC; her mother, Joanne Sunas of Durham, NC; her sisters, Zoe Stefanadis and her husband Jim, their children Gus, Alyssa, and Nick of Chapel Hill, NC, and Elaina Koch and her husband Brad, their children Chris and Ben of Lenoir City, TN.  Chris is preceded in death by her father, Bill.  She is mourned by a multitude of friends, coworkers, clients, and her church family.

The visitation will be held at Raymer Kepner Funeral Home in Huntersville, NC on Thursday, October 21 from 5-8pm.  Funeral services will be celebrated by Fr. Robert Lawrence, Fr. StavroforosMamaies, and Fr. Jonathan Resmini at St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church in Mooresville, NC on Friday, October 22 at 10am and will be livestreamed on the St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church Facebook page.  Trisagion Prayers and burial will follow at Glenwood Memorial Park in Mooresville, NC.  In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church.