Michael Warren Ginn

Michael Warren Ginn, age 69 of Sandersville, Georgia, passed away at his home on Saturday October 7, 2023. A memorial service, celebrating his life will be held Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Sandersville, Georgia with Brother Lee Lacey officiating. Visitation will be Monday October 9th from 5 – 7 pm in the courtyard of First Baptist Church of Sandersville.

Michael is predeceased by his parents, Lucy Swift Reese Ginn and David Rudolf Ginn; brother-in-law Glynn Robinson; and sister-in-law Anne Jones. His family includes his wife Jean; three daughters and sons-in-law, Laura Mason and her husband John of Sandersville, Heather Pope and her husband Mike of Amelia Island, FL, Jennifer Law and her husband Alan of Yulee, FL; six grandchildren, Noah and Christian Mason, Jackson and Davis Pope, and Dashton and Grace Law; sisters Deborah Cain (Tommy) of Sandersville and Nancy Pearson (Casey) of Lourinha, Portugal; step-mother Faye Ginn of Sandersville; brothers-in-law, William Jackson of Perry and George Jackson (Carolyn) of Macon; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Michael was born in Sandersville on April 9, 1954. He was a lifelong Christian beginning with the cradle roll at First Baptist Church Sandersville, where at a young age, he gave his life to Christ and became a member of the church. After graduation from Washington County Highschool in 1972, Michael attended Georgia Southern University on a diving scholarship where he received his BS in Geology in 1976.

On April 8, 1978, he married Jean Jackson of Wrightsville.  They briefly lived in Atlanta while he received a fellowship from Georgia Tech and earned his Master of Science in Material Science Engineering in 1980. They briefly lived in Dublin and then Wrightsville. While in Wrightsville from 1981 until 1992, he became a member of First Christian Church where he was a Sunday school teacher, led the youth group programs along with his wife, Jean, and was Chairman of the Deacons. Upon returning to Sandersville in 1992, he moved his membership back to First Baptist.

After graduate school, Michael joined Nord Kaolin Company as assistant manager of Mining, Exploration, and Research. In 1985, he joined ECC International Americas where he held a number of positions in research, process and product development and management.  In 1995, Michael formed Ginn Mineral Technology, an independent laboratory and pilot plant focusing on minerals, metals, and hard materials. In 1998, he created the Ginn Technology Group, a collection of private mineral technology, energy and environmental companies including Mineral Resources, Ginn IP, Ginn Ventures and EarthCircle Technologies (ECT). ECT’s focus is biominerals, biomineral waste streams and geopolymers and is the first in the world to develop technology that “closes the loop” in paper and carpet recycling.   His range of intellectual property includes over 20 U.S. patents and 60 patents worldwide in the fields of super-conducting magnetic separation, exothermic waste streams, thermal processing of minerals, capillary filtration and mineral separation / concentration to name a few. He served on several boards at Georgia Tech and held many leadership positions with professional groups including president of the Georgia Geological Society and Chairman of the Georgia section of SME. He is an Emeritus Member of the Advisory Board of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2011 Michael was inducted into the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of The Georgia Institute of Technology.

An avid supporter and encourager of his children, in the mid 90’s Michael and his oldest daughter started the Brentwood Cross Country Team, with Michael serving as the coach for several years. A few years later, along with his youngest daughter they started the Brentwood swim team.

Michael enjoyed golf and staying active, including participating in many triathlons. He loved historic architecture and successfully restored several old homes and created a successful reclaimed lumber business in the 90’s. He enjoyed collecting antiques and pottery, finding arrowheads,  shark teeth and other fossils and artifacts, always learning and educating himself on topics of interest and sharing his knowledge with others, being in water and nature and traveling the world. He especially loved being with his grandchildren.

Donations may be made to First Baptist Church Sandersville for the FBC Sandersville Children’s Wing Renovation.

Condolences may be made online at mayandsmithfuneraldirectors.com

May and Smith Funeral Directors of Sandersville is in charge of these arrangements.