The McGee Family

Making More Memories in Marple

Resident Feature Written by Holly Stupak

Photos by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com

This month we are pleased to introduce you to the McGee Family. Luke and Dana both grew up here in Broomall and have fond memories of nights at the local ball fields and summers at Rose Tree Woods Swim Club (RTW). Now they get to relive these memories with their own four children, showing them just what makes Marple so special.

Luke was born in Sharon Hill, but moved to Broomall when he was in elementary school. Although the transition was tough at first, he eventually made lifelong friends at Loomis Elementary School, Paxon Hollow Middle School and Marple Newtown High School. During high school Luke ran track and played soccer.

He was already thinking about his next steps, and one summer during high school he got a job working at an oil refinery. He knew then what he wanted to do, so after he graduated from Marple he went through the steamfitters apprenticeship program, completing his apprenticeship in 2007, and has since been a steamfitter in Local Union 420.

The interesting part of my job is that I get to work at many different places in and around Philly,” said Luke. “I started as a steamfitter at the age of 18 and still enjoy the work that I do to this day.

Dana was born in Seoul, Korea. Her parents adopted her when she was four months old and raised Dana and her two older brothers here in Broomall. She attended St. Anastasia School up until eighth grade and graduated from the Academy of Notre Dame de Namur in Villanova in 2001.

From the age of six she was a competitive swimmer, starting with the RTW team and eventually swimming for Notre Dame’s team. Always active in sports, she played softball for the Newtown Square Petticoat League (NSPL) from T-ball age to her teen years and also played basketball and field hockey.

(L-R) Max, Gianna, Quinn and Darcy McGee

After high school Dana went on to Muhlenberg College. Her older brother Christian had gone there and she always liked its idyllic small setting and beautiful campus. Although she had originally planned to study Computer Science, a job at the school’s radio station changed all that.

Music has always been a big part of my life,” said Dana. “After the opportunity to host several radio shows at Muhlenberg, I realized I was meant to be in the Communications field.

She graduated in 2005 with a B.A. in Communications and after college worked as a promotions coordinator and associate producer for NBC10.

I loved working at NBC10,” said Dana. “I got to work with some amazing people and even got a chance to shoot a commercial for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Although they both grew up here in Broomall, Dana and Luke didn’t meet until they were in their twenties. It was actually a connection to RTW that brought the two together. As a member of the swim club, Dana met a lot of friends from different schools when she was growing up.

One of those friends who went to Marple happened to be a friend of Luke’s. The two were introduced at a group outing to see a friend’s band play, which led to a romance for Luke and Dana. After dating for a few years, the couple was ready to buy a home together. Deciding where to live was a no brainer. “

Marple was an easy choice,” said Luke. “We didn’t even consider anywhere else!” They even found a home around the corner from Dana’s childhood home. “We can see my parents’ house from ours,” Dana added. “Family means a lot to me. I’m super close with my parents and having them live so close to me means the world to me.

When the house settlement day arrived, Dana had no idea that Luke had a special surprise for her. Members of both of their families were gathered around the table at the Realtor’s office. “I thought they came because they were just excited about the house,” Dana said. So it was quite a surprise when Luke proposed to Dana right then and there. “We love joking about how we signed our lives away that day,” she added, laughing.

The McGee children enjoying a beautiful day at Rose Tree Woods

Dana and Luke married in May 2009 at St. Margaret Parish in Narberth, which was followed by a beautiful reception at Merion Tribute House in Merion Station. Being kids at heart, they chose Disney World for their honeymoon and stayed in the park at a hotel in the Animal Kingdom.

In 2010, the couple welcomed their first child, Gianna. A rising 6th grader at Paxon Hollow Middle School, Gianna plays the piano and loves reading, cooking and art. As a young girl she competed in gymnastics, winning first place in many of her competitions. She’s a member of RTW’s dive team in the summer, plays softball for NSPL in the spring and in the fall and winter she plays basketball for the Marple Newtown Basketball Association (MNBA). Her parents describe her as sweet, caring, considerate and kind to everyone she meets. She’s also a bit of a daredevil, especially when it comes to amusement park rides.

Gianna’s younger sister Darcy was born in 2012. She’ll be a 5th grader at Worrall Elementary School this fall. A lover of music, Darcy plays guitar and hopes to be in a band someday. Her other hobbies include reading and acting, and she’s been in several children’s plays at The Media Theater. Like her older sister, she plays basketball for MBNA, dives for RTW and has plans to play for NSPL. Kind hearted and sensitive, Darcy makes friends easily.

In 2015, Dana and Luke were pleasantly surprised to learn that they were about to become a family of six.

When I was told I was having twins," Dana said, "I laughed and cried at the same time.

Quinn and Max came early at 31 weeks and were just five and four pounds, respectively. They are now six years old and headed to first grade at Worrall this fall. Quinn loves legos, math and art. Dana described Quinn as a funny and happy kid.

He loves playing outside," she said, "And dancing

A baseball player for the Marple Township Little League (MTLL), he’s also looking forward to playing flag football in the fall.

The McGee Family at Rose Tree Woods Swim Club

Like his brother, Max loves legos and math and he also likes anything to do with computers. Max also enjoys playing baseball for MTLL, and can’t wait to play flag football alongside Quinn in the fall.

Max is really funny,” said his mom. “He can be shy, but loves to tell stories and is very inquisitive.

Dana enjoys being a stay-at-home mom to her four children.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be home with my kids," she said, "Because this allows me to be involved in their activities both at school and at home.

As the Board Secretary, Chair of Personnel and Co-Chair of the snack bar at RTW, Dana said she loves being part of the decision making process that impacts so many families in our community. And as a former lifeguard at RTW, Dana wanted to make sure that the members are being watched over by capable kids and managed by some really responsible and hardworking people who care about the pool as much as she does.

Rose Tree Woods means a lot to me since I’ve spent so many summers there as a kid,” she said. “Volunteering there has also given me the chance to give back to a place that was such a big part of my life growing up.

Not only is Dana active at RTW, Dana gets to relive her old softball days by being an assistant coach for Gianna’s NSPL team. Luke also enjoys being involved in the kids’ sports teams and served as an assistant coach for MTLL and the Marple Newtown Soccer Association, where the boys have played for the past few years.

When the McGees need a change of scenery or to reset, they spend summer weekends in Ocean City, NJ. “We also cherish all the times we can attend Philadelphia sporting events like Phillies and Flyers games,” said Dana.

Back here in Broomall, Luke and Dana love being a part of our community because it feels like a family.

Our community has so much to offer our kids and we especially love the great schools that surround us,” said Luke. Dana agreed. “We love everything about Marple Newtown and look forward to making more wonderful memories that we will cherish forever!

Do you know a Marple family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Holly Stupak at HStupak@BestVersionMedia.com.