He was known as “Big Steve” to his family, but those close to him, especially his cadet brothers, simply called him “Magoo.”
Stephen Craig “Steve” McGue was born in Columbus, OH to Louis and Mary Louise McGue but spent his formative years in Huntington, IN. He attended Huntington High School, where he was an accomplished student-athlete and was active in student government. Steve had a close relationship with and had deep admiration for his father, who owned a couple of successful car dealerships. This would later serve to not only foster Steve’s strong work ethic but also guide his entrepreneurial aspirations.
Steve secured an appointment to West Point from Congressman J. Edward Roush of the 5th District of Indiana. Some guys came to West Point a little better prepared for military training than Steve was. Thus, he was initially a little “out of step” with some of the odd requirements like spit shining shoes and squaring corners, but after a few tours of walking the Area he quickly learned how to meet the demands and knew which boundaries should not be crossed. He was a calm, social and dynamic companymate, a mainstay in intramurals, and a friend to all. The rigors of cadet life caused Steve to spend as much of his summer “leave” as possible on a beach somewhere in the world (Bermuda, Hawaii, and others), where he would unwind, refresh, and renew himself for the next challenge West Point would send his way. Steve’s yearbook describes him quite accurately: “Magoo never aspired to be the ideal cadet, but his potential for greatness has always been there.”
Steve branched Infantry. He served consecutive overseas tours of duty, first in Germany and then in Vietnam, the later with MACV, for which he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Captain McGue resigned his commission in 1974 and set out to follow in his father’s entrepreneurial footsteps.
Steve attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and, in 1976, earned his MBA. He joined the FMC Corporation in Chicago and then was hired by Hart Schaffner & Marx Corporation (HMX), where he met the love of his life, Julie Ryan McGue. Steve rose in the ranks at HMX and became president of Jaymar Ruby Corporation in Michigan City, IN. During this time, Steve developed his two favorite hobbies: golf and flying airplanes. When Steve left Jaymar Ruby to work for Payless Shoes in Topeka, KS, he headed up an international division, expatriating his young family to Cuernavaca, Mexico. After the international stint, Steve moved his family to Hinsdale, IL, where they lived for 24 years. There, Steve formed Shamrock Corp. and fulfilled his entrepreneurial dreams by initially purchasing two Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) stores and opening several Bruegger’s Bagel bakeries. He grew his Shamrock Corporation into a successful multi-unit Taco Bell/KFC franchise with over 50 stores at one point in time.
Steve’s father developed health issues late in his life and passed away at the age of 63. It was a pivotal moment for Steve, and he became more keenly aware of the fragility of life. He proceeded to live life to the fullest, much to benefit of those around him. He had an adventurous spirit and a willing partner in Julie. He moved his young family to Mexico, owned and flew his own airplane, invested in fast food franchises, took a cross country motorcycle trip with Julie sitting behind him, and bought a farm and planted 10,000 trees. Those are just some of the dreams Steve lived out. Friends and family would hear a frequent refrain from him: “I’m thinking about… .” After some discussion about the pros and cons of his idea, Steve would get that “Magoo” glint in his eyes and say, “I think I’m gonna do it!” and then he would. Besides his fierce commitment to family, Steve had strong ties to the communities in which he lived and worked. He generously supported many charities with his time, talent, and treasure: the United Way, Pillars, Benet Academy High School, Catholic Charities, and Notre Dame and Cornell universities. Steve was at his happiest when he was flying his Cirrus to golf weekends, over the family farms in Iowa and Indiana, to Army football games and Cornell basketball games, and to the family ski retreat in Big Sky, MT.
Steve had a soft spot for West Point also. He wrote in the Class of 1969 Legacy Book: “My USMA experience taught me that by continuing to put one foot in front of the other (both figuratively and often literally in Central Area), it is possible to accomplish difficult tasks and, in some cases, to achieve unexpected success. That persevering philosophy has served me well in the Army, in business, and in raising a family.”
Big Steve passed away on February 14, 2022 at Sarasota Memorial Hospital from complications related to bladder and prostate cancer. His deep smile, wit, intelligence, and candor are sorely missed. Steve McGue is survived by Julie Ryan McGue, his wife of 37 years; their four children: Colleen McGue (Sean Sellers), Molly McGue (Jonathan Lumley-Sapanski), Daniel (Phoebe Tzannes), and Kassie; and five grandsons.
May he rest in peace.
— Rick Duffy with classmates and family