Mary McKinney

Mary McKinney, 101, passed away Sunday June 9 surrounded by family.  Mary was born April 30, 1923, and grew up during the depression in the small community of Brownsboro KY as one of 5 children of Herman and Janie Parrish Noel.  Mary enjoyed her childhood in this close-knit community surrounded by her siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.  In her later years one of her fondest memories was attending Brownsboro School, the one room schoolhouse where she loved studying and learning and while she didn’t complete school it was this experience that shaped her love for learning and her deep interest in community, Country, and the World.   Mary became the loving wife of James McKinney right before he shipped out as an US Army soldier in World War II to Baden Germany where he fought, was shot in battle, and was missing in action in a German hospital when her first child was born.  Mary went to work at Louisville Envelope Company and waited for the war to end with complete faith that God would bring her husband home and he did.   Mary had a personal experience with God as a young woman and was a lifelong member of Harrods Creek Baptist Church.  Mary and James settled in Prospect KY where they farmed a 200-acre farm and completed their family of 2 girls and 2 boys.   Mary was a strong and virtuous woman, and her faith was the foundation of her life through her commitment to loving and caring for her family and friends and fostering her community through participation as a volunteer in school and community activities and an advocate for the things she believed in.  Mary love life and most enjoyed doing for others through cooking huge meals for her family, entertaining her children’s friends, growing and sharing her garden, caring for elderly relatives, quilting beautiful quilts for her children and grandchildren, and reading her Bible daily.  Family and friends remember Mary as someone who welcomed them to her home with kindness and caring making them feel comfortable and loved.  

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, James McKinney, a son James Garvin McKinney, a grandson Joshua James McKinney, a sister Martha Noel, a sister Ruth Noel Turner and her husband Wilson Turner, a brother Joe Noel and his wife Mary Margaret McCombs Noel, a brother Leonard Noel and his wife Stella McKinney Noel, a son-in-law Charles Brockman, and her parents Herman Noel and Janie Parrish Noel.

Mary is survived by 3 children and 2 daughter-in-laws,  her daughter Sara McKinney, her son Joseph Wayne McKinney and his wife Carolyn Carraco McKinney,  her daughter Barbara McKinney Brockman, and her daughter-in-law Mary; 5 grandchildren and their spouses, Wayne McKinney and Wife Tammy Riddle McKinney, Christopher McKinney and wife Krista Yocum McKinney, Mary Beth Gardner and husband Bill Denkoff, Emily Bush and Husband Brian Hatton; 8 great grandchildren and 1 spouse, Tori McKinney and her husband Derric Shuler, Nicholas McKinney, Dylan Gardner, Dean Gardner, Jamee Bush, Destin Denkoff, Ellie Jo McKinney, Kaden James McKinney; 5 great-great-grandchilden, Maryann McCannon, Juniper McCannon, Karlee Shuler, Ryland Tarter, Dutton Shuler, and 18 nieces and nephews.

Those who wish to donate in memory of Mary may gift Brownsboro Community Center, the one-room schoolhouse that Mary attended as a child and supported as a member when it became a venue for Oldham Countians to come together for activities, special occasions, and events that celebrate family and community. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary McKinney, please visit our floral store.