Andrea Ohly-McGinn left this world for greater adventures on Oct. 29, 2021. She will forever be remembered for her ability to inspire others and live each moment fully. An old friend said, “If you didn’t learn something important about life from Andrea, you weren’t paying attention.” If you knew Andrea, you were better for it.
Andrea was humble, full of life and passionately active. Few people know that she was featured on the cover of Dive Magazine. She qualified for and ran in the Pan American Games and she was the recipient of the Sportswoman of the Year award in Colorado. She was also interviewed by Sports Illustrated, where she attributed her decades of survival, with a terminal heart diagnosis, to exercise.
After being given less than one year to live, Andrea began a quest to mock the odds. She competitively completed hundreds of athletic events over the next 20-some years. These events included bike races, every type of running event, adventure races and more. In love with the wonder of Disney, Andrea ran in the Disney World Marathon for both the fifth and 25th-anniversary races, along with most of the others in between. In the fall, Andrea could be found coaching the Pagosa Springs Middle School cross-country team, inspiring young athletes for generations.
Andrea accepted no excuses for not pushing herself further. She wanted to experience everything. If she thought of it or dreamed it, she did it! No challenge or destination was off limits — she wouldn’t miss any opportunity to live big. With this as her life expectation, any excursion with Andrea was sure to be cosmic. Her hikes were always steeper than expected, her runs were much farther than anticipated and her travels held many more surprises than predicted. She believed that the Eiffel Tower could only be ascended by way of the stairs, that Disney parks are best visited after a 26.2-mile run, that you should never pass up the opportunity to get a new passport stamp, and she lived by her words, “There is no time to waste.”
Andrea is currently on some wild expedition with her parents, Frank and Sally Ohly. Left back home are her husband. Ted, two children, Elle and Aidan, brother Frank, sister Carrie and countless friends.
In lieu of a service, the first annual Andrea McGinn Memorial Snowshoe Walk will be held in her honor on Jan. 22. The walk will begin at 10 a.m. in the parking lot at the end of Four Mile Road. It is recommended that you carpool because parking is limited. Bring your snowshoes, gloves, sense of adventure and be ready for some fun!
