Eleanor Elizabeth “Corky” Smith McKinney, age 87 of Sheffield, Alabama died January 2, 2016. Visitation will be Wednesday, January 6, 2016 from 11:30-1:00 at Colbert Memorial Chapel with the funeral service to follow at 1:00 pm. with Bro. Robert Shirley officiating. Burial will follow at Colbert Memorial Gardens.
Eleanor was born September 13, 1928, in Riverton, Alabama, the daughter of Dink and Emma Smith. Corky as she affectionately known all her life, will be greatly missed.. Her smile and laughter were contagious. She loved God, her family and friends. She loved to share her stories of growing up in Riverton and had a wonderful childhood there.
Corky was a 1946 graduate of Cherokee High School and, afterwards, worked at the First National Bank of Tuscumbia until 1949 when she met and married the love of her life, Marl McKinney. After marriage, Corky’s primary focus for many years was raising their four children and making a wonderful home for her family. She enjoyed being involved with her children’s various activities throughout the years: boys and girl scouts, little league baseball, classroom mother, and Sub Debs. She also loved to garden and was a member and officer of Rivermont Garden Club. She tended her flowers with great care which still bloom in her backyard today.
Mrs. McKinney was a member of First Baptist Church of Sheffield where she loved teaching the Ruth Sunday School class for ladies and enjoyed serving on several church committees.
Mrs. McKinney was preceded in death by her parents, Dink and Emma Lee Turberville Smith; her brothers, Walter Winn Smith, Frank Eugene Smith, Hubert Dink Smith and Joe Riley Smith; and her sister, Ruth Aline Smith Matthews.
She is survived by her husband, Bavis Marl McKinney, Sheffield, AL; her son, William Marl ‘Bill’ McKinney (Pam) ,Florence, AL; and her daughters, Carol Lee McKinney Dyar (Steve), Hoover, AL; Jo Ann McKinney Porter (Ron), Augusta, GA; and Denise Elizabeth McKinney, Springhill, TN; and grandchildren, William Patrick McKinney, Ann Taylor McKinney Wilson ( Aubrey), Matthew Grady Dyar (Chelsea), Lee Allison Dyar Boyd (Austin), William Powell “Duke” Porter, and Daniel McKinney Porter; and great grandchildren, Leah Elizabeth McKinney, McKinney Robert Wilson, Ellis Taylor Wilson, and Aubrey deNay Porter, and several nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank all those who cared for Mrs. McKinney during her extended illness. Special gratitude is expressed to Nellie Southward and Ray Russell with Eldercare Services for their tender care, as well as all the nurses and staff at Mitchell Hollingsworth Nursing Center, Hospice Advantage, and Brookdale Shoals (formerly Wellington Place).
In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be made to the Mayo Clinic Alzeheimer’s Disease Research Center.
The funeral arrangements will be conducted by Colbert Memorial Chapel in Tuscumbia AL.
You may sign your on line condolences to www.colbertmemorial.com
