In Memory

Steve McGonigle

Steve McGonigle

Stephen Lee (Steve) McGonigle of Dallas died August 24 after a long illness. He was 60.

An award-winning newspaper reporter, he practiced his profession more than 35 years. He cared deeply about the principled practice of journalism and believed firmly that unvarnished truth serves the public good. In his personal life, he used his quick wit and storytelling ability to entertain family and friends, whom he cherished. He adored his wife and children, and never tired of trying to make their lives fun, meaningful and special. He loved to travel, was particularly at peace in the great outdoors, and would be content to be reincarnated as a mountain man.

Born July 1, 1953, in Houston, Texas, he grew up in neighboring Bellaire. A proud Longhorn, he earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1975 from The University of Texas, where he worked on the campus newspaper, The Daily Texan. In 1977, he earned a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University, where he met his wife.

He went to work for the Abilene Reporter-News and next worked at the Corpus Christi Caller. He joined the Dallas Morning News in 1981 as a courthouse reporter and later became an investigative reporter. Work that made a difference included stories on the wrongful conviction of a Dallas woman in a robbery-murder, a series on discrimination in jury selection, revelation of a local charity's connection to a terrorist organization, investigations of abuses in the military's mental health system and stories tying lax oversight to deadly bus and truck accidents.

Predecessors include his beloved grandparents, George and Ruth (Young) McGonigle and Frank and Janice (Hammond) Goss. Survivors include his wife Kristine (Imherr), and daughter, Kelsey, of Dallas; son, Stephen Joshua (Josh), and wife, Anne (Rickard), of Austin; parents, George and Martha Ann McGonigle, of Austin, sister and brother-in-law, Ann and Charley Kifer, and their children, Max and Eliza, of Houston; sister, Ellen McGonigle, and her son, Brazos Bell, of Austin; many other much-loved relatives and dear friends.

A memorial service will be held August 30, 2013 at 10:00 AM at Sparkman Richardson Funeral Home, 1029 S. Greenville Ave, Richardson, Texas 75081. Donations can be made to the National Park Trust, donate.parktrust.org; Centurion Ministries, centurion ministries.org/donate; or a charity of choice.

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/richardson-tx/steve-mcgonigle-5645751