Obituary of Jack Donald McGuff, III

Jack Donald McGuff, III, “Jad,” passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Friday, May 15, 2020. He was 62 years old. Jack is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Joyce McGuff, Jr., and his father-in-law, Wayne Honnila. He is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Lyn Honnila McGuff; daughter, Erin McGuff-Pennington, and her husband, Shane Pennington; son and business successor, Jack D. McGuff, IV, “Jay,” and his fiancée, Meagan Lane; granddaughter, Saoirse Pennington; sister, Jill McGuff, and her daughter, Megan; brother, Jon McGuff, his wife, Helena, and their daughters, Emily and Caley; mother-in-law, Joanne Honnila; aunt, Charla Williamson; and many more beloved family and friends. A longtime resident of Pearland, Texas, Jack graduated in 1976 from Pearland High School, where he served as both president of his class and of the Pearland Band. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and was a proud trumpet player in the Longhorn Band. After college Jack worked at international accounting firms Ernst & Young and Grant Thornton. He earned his master’s degree from the University of Houston and in 1987 started his own accounting business. Shortly thereafter, Jack received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law and then later became a certified financial planner, expanding his business into a full-service financial planning firm. His education, experience, dedication, and wisdom all contributed to the success of his business, McGuff Financial, through which he served his clients and community for nearly three decades. As he built a business and raised a family, Jack enjoyed giving back to the community he loved and that raised him. Over the years he served as an executive board member of the Pearland Area Chamber of Commerce, President of the Pearland Rotary Club, President of the Board of Directors of the Coppinger YMCA, Director of the Pearland Arts League, and Treasurer of the Board of Directors of Golfcrest Country Club. He was an avid golfer and skier, enjoyed playing racquetball, and wasn’t too bad at basketball, either (considering he wasn’t the tallest guy around). In the last years of his life, he especially appreciated long walks in nature with his wife, Lyn, and their Irish terriers, Harry and Pippi. Jack didn’t love sand, but he made sure to spend quality time on the beach with his family on their vacations to Costa Rica and Mexico, as well as to walk his daughter down the aisle of her beach wedding in Connemara, Ireland. Jack cherished the summers he spent with his family in Lyn’s hometown of Cedarville, Michigan, on beautiful Lake Huron (where they married). He loved visiting dear friends Dane and Honour Cessac in the Texas Hill Country and treasured his many trips to the mountains of Colorado, which began in childhood. Jack was known as a man of integrity, knowledge, wit, and drive. He loved animals, rarely found food that was spicy enough (making up for it by growing his own hot peppers), and cooked the best sour-cream chicken enchiladas. He was a fan of libertarian principles and said that if he could pass on one value to his granddaughter and any future grandchildren, it would be to have compassion for other people and their perspectives. His family is thankful that Jack is no longer in pain and that, finally, he has found his perfect mountain stream. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the interest of community health and safety, Jack’s immediate family has honored his memory with a private gathering and will hold a celebration of his life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to B.I.G. Love Cancer Care (biglovecancercare.org).