Michael McKinney

Happy go lucky, upbeat, giving, caring, compassionate, and positive are just a few words to describe such a great man like Michael McKinney. He touched so many lives because he never knew a stranger and was never too busy to help someone. He was hard working and his greatest accomplishment was having his wonderful family and he adored his grandchildren. Mike truly lived a life of content with everything that he had.

With WWII ending the year prior, 1947 saw a high demand of consumer goods that outstripped supply in the United States and the British car makers took advantage of these shortages by exporting as many cars as they could and many Americans liked the idiosyncrasies from these British cars like Austin, Hillman and MG's. This year saw some of the most significant inventions that would impact lives for many years to come including the Transistor and the Mobile Phone. With many of the service men and women returning home, much of American households were welcoming new babies into their hearts and homes. Amongst these families were Daniel McKinney and Versa (Gibson) McKinney and on
November 29, 1947 at Lucky Hospital in Wolf Lake, Indiana, Michael McKinney was born along with his twin-sister, Mary.

At 9 months old, his family moved to Oregon. As a kid he fell in love with playing the guitar by the age of 5 and also enjoyed hunting and fishing. He attended McMinnville High School where he set several track records in sprinting. He went on to be drafted to the U.S. Army and attended college in Pasadena.

His parents had separated and divorced and his dad moved back to Indiana. On one fateful trip to visit with his dad in 1969, Mike found the love of his life and never returned back to Oregon to live. On April 15, 1972, he married Kathaleen King at Columbia City United Methodist Church. The two would eventually move to Kathi's parent's farm and later build a home in the early 1990's. They had two wonderful daughters, Melissa and Hollie.

Mike worked over 30 years in the propane industry, starting out at Skelgas and retired as an Aerial Manager for Level Propane. Mike also enjoyed and took pride in being a farmer. He kept busy tinkering with small engines, always looked forward to the spring mushroom hunting, took pride in his Lemans, '67 GTO and '69 Corvette and enjoyed drag racing.

Being an exceptionally good ping pong player, Mike found amusement when others would bet money and even put up their titles to the car thinking they could beat Mike in a game. When he played, he took it serious and it was hard to even catch the sight of the ball as his paddle made contact with it.

He enjoyed traveling to visit his family in Oregon and sightseeing across the country along the way. He also took several vacations to Lake Erie as a favorite place along with a few trips to Florida.

Michael McKinney, 70, of Columbia City, Indiana, passed away Sunday morning, May 13, 2018 at his home.

Survivors include his Wife, Kathi McKinney; daughters, Melissa (Rick Addair) McKinney, of Pierceton and Hollie (Joe Woods) McKinney, of Columbia City; grandchildren, Blase McKinney, Aressa Bays, Austin Mort, Alex Dial, Matthew Dial, Wyatt Woods and Olivia Woods; great-grandchildren, Elijah and Emmitt Bays; sister, Eva Glass, of Portland, OR; brother, Tom (Shirley) McKinney, of McMinnville, OR; brother, Russ McKinney, of Forest Grove, OR; brother, Robert (Janell) McKinney, of Columbia City, twin sister, Mary (Jim) Bundy, of McMinnville, OR; brother, John (Lucy) McKinney, of McMinnville, OR and brother, Jack (Diane) McKinney, of Oregon City, OR; brother-in-law, Roderick (Cassie) King II; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Danny McKinney and Richard McKinney.

Visitation is 4-8 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, 2018 at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City. Funeral service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home with Pastor Barry Faucett officiating. Burial will follow burial at South Park (Annex) Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial may be given in his memory toward his final expenses, I.C.O. DeMoney-Grimes. Visit www.demoneygrimes.com to send his family condolences online.