Michael John Magill, 75, of Highlands, passed peacefully from this life Oct. 8, 2021, in his beloved Union Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He lost a long battle against dementia. Michael was born June 15, 1946, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He attended Queens University in Belfast, receiving a B.S. in civil engineering. He then went on to M.I.T. and received an M.B.S. in computer science.
Mike was a problem solver and an adventurer. He had a yen for travel which first brought him to America. While at M.I.T., he met his beloved wife, Eileen Scanlon, and their adventures together began in 1974. He worked in Dublin, Cork, Germany, Iraq and Saudi Arabia on challenging engineering projects. Then Mike and Eileen sailed up the Red Sea through the Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean without the benefit of GPS.
After adventuring, Mike and Eileen settled in New Jersey to raise their three children, living in Cedar Knolls, Randolph and Highlands. Mike was a loving, sometimes quixotic father and husband. He was always ready to help with homework and anything the kids needed. He was a project-driven man and was always building or fixing. But his first love was still sailing and he enjoyed the delights of New Jersey and the Grenadine waters.
Mike was predeceased by his parents, Raymond and Ellie Magill, and his brother Dr. Peter Magill. He is survived by his wife Eileen Scanlon; his son Patrick Magill; his daughters, Maria and Alanna Magill; and his granddaughters, Luna Dion, Arianna Brown and Ava Magill. Also surviving are his sister Brenda (Magill) Davidson; his brothers, Martin Magill and wife Mongia, and Ian Magill; sisters-in-law, Sheila Magill and Lorna Magilll and his nieces and nephews all over the world and Eileen’s extended family, especially the Henrich, McQuade and Lukas families.
We would like to extend our thanks to Mike’s caretakers on Union Island, especially Sonnie Williams and Molseen Mulzac. He was treated with love and respect in his final difficult days.
A memorial Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 6 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Highlands. Condolence messages may be shared at everloved.com/life-of/michael-magill.
The article originally appeared in the November 4 – 10, 2021 print edition of The Two River Times.
