OBIT: Ms. Brenda McKinley, Age 66, Of Carthage
Ms. Brenda McKinley
Longtime Town of Carthage City Clerk Ms. Brenda McKinley died at the age of 66 at 2:20 p.m. Wednesday afternoon October 25, 2017 at her Ward Avenue East home. She was pronounced dead at the Riverview Regional Medical Center.
An autopsy was performed at the Metro Medical Examiner Office and they ruled the sudden death was from a brain aneurysm.
Rev. Larry Bowers delivered the eulogy at the 1 p.m. Monday afternoon October 30th funeral services from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Remarks were shared by her great niece Elizabeth Brandon and her cousin Lettie Davis.
Born Brenda Joyce McKinley in Carthage on May 9, 1951, she was the daughter of longtime Carthage Town Councilman and vice-Mayor, James Ernest “Jim” McKinley who died January 29, 2005 at the age of 87 and Betty Mary High McKinley who died May 10, 2016 at the age of 91.
She was preceded in death by two brothers, Marshall Key McKinley and James E. “Buddy” McKinley who died July 3, 2001 at the age of 64.
Ms. McKinley was a 1969 graduate of Smith County High School where she majored in home economics and was a member of the Future Homemakers of America all four years in addition to being on the office staff and a member of the pep club all four years.
Having never married, Ms. McKinley was a funny and social person who had a sweet spirit and was a friend to many and greatly enjoyed traveling across the United States with her mother and niece.
Ms. McKinley served as the Carthage City Clerk beginning her employment on September 26, 1977 and retired from that position on May 29, 2015 with almost thirty eight years to the citizens of Carthage. She served under former mayors James Clay, B. M. Lowe Jr., David Bowman, Sabra Hodge and present mayor Donnie Dennis.
Surviving is her brother Michael McKinley of Carthage and his two children, Hope McKinley of Nashville and Michael Scott McKinley of Carthage; sister-in-law, Billie Sue McKinley also of Carthage; aunt, Katherine High of Carhage.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
