Stephanie Ann McKinley Whatley met her Creator after a long struggle with pulmonary issues. She died Sunday morning at North Miss. Medical Center at the age of 69. Born July 21, l953 in Jackson, Ms., she was the daughter of Dr. Robert McKinley and Betty McKinley Cooper. She graduated from Tupelo High School in l971 and attended Miss. State University. Stephanie’s working career included being a master bookkeeper for a Trucking Firm. An Episcopalian, she spent 30 years of her life in Collierville, Tenn. before returning to Tupelo. She married Scotty Whaley in 2004 and he survives. Stephanie enjoyed her yard pond, gardening, antiquing and taking care of all her dogs.
A service honoring her memory will take place at 4 PM Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022 in the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors with her son, Dayton Rogers, speaking. Friends and family may visit from 3 PM Wednesday-service time. For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at www.hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Livestreaming.
Stephanie is survived by her husband, Scotty Whaley; her son, Dayton Rogers both of Tupelo; her step daughter, Shanna Kay Robins of Memphis; GiGi was grandmother to Colton Andrew Sparks; a brother, Robert McKinley of Hattiesburg; a sister in law, Phyllis Trevathan (David, deceased) of Madison. She was preceded in death by her parents and her in laws, Jim and Gladys Whatley.
Memorials may be made to the Tupelo-Lee Humane Shelter, P. O. Box 2143, Tupelo, MS. 38802. Condolences may be e mailed to hollandfuneraldirectors@comcast.net
