Tina Renee Magner-McCarty, 49, passed away suddenly, Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, in her sleep at her home in Goodlettesville, TN.
Tina was born June 12, 1967, in Kalamazoo, MI and moved in her youth to Nashville, TN where she spent the majority of her life. She was a graduate of McGavock High School class of 1985. She was known by her friends and family as a patriot whose love of country, veterans, first responders was her lifelong passion. As a Cubs fan, it was one of her great joys to see her Chicago Cubs win the World Series this past month.
She is survived by her daughter, Kendall McCarty (22); grandson, Carlos Waters (7 months ); mother and father, Donna Magner and Richard Magner; brother, Mark Magner; sister, Wendy Magner; lifelong friend, Cara Bobinger; and numerous other dear friends and coworkers.
She is preceded in death by her ex-husband, Kevin McCarty.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 10th, at St John's Lutheran Church, 3269 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN. The Reverend, Rick Roberts will officiate.
Friends and acquaintances will be welcomed at the service to share their memories of Tina with the family.
In lieu of flowers the family is accepting contributions in memory of Tina to be used for final expenses and the remainder will be used to help our veterans at youcaring.com/TinaMagner-McCartyMemorialFund.
The story of how I got my nickname “Wiffie” is not only pure classic Tina, but was a GOLDEN MOMENT of sibling insults and all around hilarious. Approximately, 35+ years ago, we were kids doing typical stupid kid things, going back and forth insulting each other. When we ran out real words we started making them up. (“You’re a snotbottle!”) So, we started trying to look our made-up words in the dictionary to see if by some chance we rattled off a real word. Tina called me a “whiffet.” I was sure there was no way it was a real word, but lo and behold, it’s not only a real word, but the definition is “a small, unimportant person.” INSULT JACKPOT! We’ve been laughing about that for years and she started calling me Whiffet as a nickname. My niece then shortened it to “Wiffie.” It’s stuck for all time now.
A fan of the Chicago Cubs since 1984, I'm thankful Tina got to see them win the World Series. Below are two celebratory commericals made in that honor. The first one is the reason I chose Willie Nelson's "How Time Slips Away" to be played at her service. Check both of them out, they're worth seeing. Go Cubbies! :)
The Budweiser Harry Caray tribute:
KIDS, WHAT SHOULD I DO? Guess what turns the big 3-0 this year?! That’s right, one 1987 Z28 Camaro. Most of you that have known me since high school probably remember the personalized “Gizmo” plate that I’ve had for at least 25 years – 18 of those on said jalopy Camaro. But what most of you don’t know is that the plate has nothing to do with me. Nada. My question is, should I let the plate expire or hold on to it?
The story behind the plate: Tina was a HUGE fan of the movie Gremlins. She would giggle her infectious laugh literally all through that movie. Back when the movie was still popular she was dating a guy named Billy, who later had a plate painted to put on the front of her car with the name Gizmo. And so it stuck. Billy later fell by the wayside, but the car and the plate remained. Later, Tina met and married Kevin, a military man. Shortly after they got married, he was transferred Hanau, Germany. Thus, the car remained in the states (Tina + autobahn + Camaro = BAD). Little sissy, (yeah, me) got the car in her absence and rather than having the painted “Gizmo” on the front, I applied for the personalized tag for the back. Long story short……big sissy never got her car back (for several reasons) and it ended up mine. However, I never took the plate off it. By then Gizmo and the car was synonymous.
Between being in storage for years and the car reaching the MAGICAL JALOPY AGE of 25 and qualifying for an “antique auto” plate, (Woohoo! No more Marta!) the personalized “Gizmo” tag has since been transferred to several different cars – none of which it “fits”. It just doesn’t look right on any other car. Fast forward to 2017, it’s currently on my bug, though I am switching to a “Don’t Tread on Me” plate in February. So…….
1. Should I transfer the “Gizmo” plate to yet another car and keep the tradition going? Or
2. Let the plate expire since the real namesake has left us, thus retiring the “Gizmo” with Tina?
