Mr. Neil Wilson McKinney

Neil Wilson McKinney, 83, of Salisbury passed away Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at the Lutheran Home at Trinity Oaks. Born February 25, 1931 in Grassy Creek Township (Mitchell Co.), he was the son of the late William Charles McKinney, Sr. and Ann Thompson McKinney. He was educated in the Mitchell County schools and graduated with a BS degree in Science from Appalachian State University. Mr. McKinney was a veteran of the US Army during the Korean War and received the Korean Service Medal with 3 Bronze Stars. He started his career as a Physics, Science and Chemistry teacher at Union School in Lincoln County. He then started with the NC Employment Security Commission in Spruce Pine and became a manager working at the offices in Reidsville, Greensboro where he was in charge of the Job Corp Program, New Bern and later Hickory for Catawba, Caldwell and Alexander Counties before retiring after 30 years of service. Mr. McKinney was a member of Milford Hills United Methodist Church and the Golden Rule Sunday School Class. He was a former member of Grace Lutheran Church, Newton, where he served on the Church Council. He and his wife audited classes at Lenoir Rhyne University and attended the Humanities Forum at Little Switzerland through the University while living in Hickory and enjoyed traveling together. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Brown McKinney and William C. McKinney, Jr. Those left to cherish his memory are his wife of 51 years Loretta Boone McKinney whom he married June 30, 1963; daughter, Tammie Casper and husband Darryl of Salisbury; sons, Andrew Neil McKinney and wife Jennifer of South Haven, MS and James Aldrin McKinney of Asheville; siblings, Betty Mace of Shelby, Sam McKinney and wife Barbara of Newdale, Zeb McKinney and wife Chris of Spruce Pine, Joann Wilfong and husband Harry of Newton and Jim McKinney of Huntersville; grandchildren, Josh Goodnight and wife Erica of Statesville, Leigh Casper of Charlotte and Jacob Aldrin Simpson of Asheville; great-grandchildren, Gage Preston Goodnight and Ross McCoy Goodnight. The family will receive friends from 10-11 AM Friday at Milford Hills United Methodist Church. A funeral service will be conducted 11 AM – Friday (Sept. 26) at Milford Hills United Methodist Church with the Rev. Steve Combs, officiating. Interment will follow at the VA National Cemetery with Military Graveside Rites conducted by the NC National Guard and the Rowan County Veterans Honor Guard. Memorials may be made to Trinity Oaks, in memory of the Gordon Baker Family of Hickory, 728 Klumac Rd., Salisbury, NC 28144 The family would like to offer a special thanks to the Staff of Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, Dr. Douglas Shellhorn of the Rowan Diagnostic Center and the Staff and residents at Trinity Oaks Summersett Funeral Home is serving the McKinney family. Online condolences may be made to www.summersettfuneralhome.com.

Mr. Neil Wilson McKinney

February 25, 1931 - September 23, 2014