REGINALD L. MCKINNEY
1924 — 2015

 

Reginald Lucas McKinney of Engelhard died peacefully Monday afternoon, April 19, 2015 at his home. Born June 10, 1924, Reginald was the son of the late Clifton and Viola McKinney of Engelhard, NC. He was married to the late Grace Watson McKinney on July 13, 1946. They had been married for 67 years.

He is survived by his two children, daughter Reglyn McKinney Reid and her husband, Jim, of Southern Pines and son Julian Watson McKinney of Greensboro; granddaughter Rachel McKinney Sellers and her husband, Jeff, of Madison, NC; a great granddaughter Hannah Dawn Sellers, of Madison; two step-grandsons, Todd and wife, Colby Reid of Durham and Timothy and wife Jeanna Reid and their two daughters of Franklin, TN; brothers Wilburn McKinney of Hickory and Morgan Clifton McKinney, Jr. of Charlotte; and nine nieces and nephews.

Reginald was preceded in death by his parents, his in-laws, brother Robert Egbert McKinney, sisters Exadell McKinney Silverthorne and Zelma McKinney Howard, and a nephew. Reginald attended Engelhard High School. He worked with the family business during the 40’s and began his own farming business in 1952 where he remained until retirement in 1998.

Reginald was a member of Soule United Methodist Church, and was a former member of Watson’s Chapel United Methodist Church. Reginald joined the Engelhard Rotary Club in 1948 and was a member for 62 years, holding the office of president, Boy Scout Master and other offices. He was a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow, and hosted several Rotary Exchange Students from various countries. He was on the board of directors for Production Credit Association for 19 years and for the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association for 12 years. Reginald and his wife, Grace, travelled to Brazil, Argentina, Australia and New Zealand as part of NC Agriculture Commissioner’s promotion of NC agri-business products. He was also a past president of the Hyde County Farm Bureau, the Military Draft Board during the Vietnam era, the Hyde Country ABC Board, and coordinated the blood drives for the Red Cross for many years. He and his wife were a support team for colon cancer survivors in the Hyde and Beaufort counties. In recent years he was the oldest participate in a nationwide heart value study, and was the first patient at ECU Heart Institute to undergo surgery as part of this study.

Memorials can be made to Soule United Methodist Church c/o Sandra Tunnell, 809 Main St., Swan Quarter, NC 27885 or ECU Heart Institute, ECU Medical and Health Sciences Foundation, 525 Moye Blvd, Mail Stop 659, Greenville, NC 27834 attn: Kathy Brown.

Visitation will be Friday, April 24, from 7-9 pm at Bryan Funeral Service in Swan Quarter, NC. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 25 at 10:00 am at Soule United Methodist Church in Swan Quarter, with burial to follow in Fulford Cemetery in Engelhard, NC.

Arrangements are by Bryan Funeral Service, Swan Quarter where online sympathy message can be directed to www.bryanfs.com.