Jefferson City News-Tribune (MO) - Wednesday, December 24, 2008:

Mrs. Mary Katherine McKinney, age 91 years, of Jefferson City, Mo., died Monday, December 22, 2008, at the Heisinger Bluffs Senior Living Center. Mary was born July 31, 1917, in Jefferson City, Mo., the daughter of Herbert and Katherine McMichael Blume, both deceased. She was married in the summer of 1937 to Gerald Thomas "Bud" McKinney, who preceded her in death on November 23, 1954.

A lifelong resident of the Jefferson City area, Mary was a graduate of St. Peters High School and the Capital Business College. Mary was widowed at a very young age and worked tirelessly to raise her four sons. She held the position of administrative assistant to Missouri Governor Forest Smith prior to joining the staff of Charles E. Still Hospital in 1952 as senior accountant. By 1955, she had progressed to the hospital administrator position which she held for five years. As the hospital continued to grow and prosper, she managed their personnel department before retiring in 1980.

Mary enjoyed being with her grandchildren, traveling, sewing, gardening, and crocheting until Alzheimer's made it difficult for her. For the past nine years after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, she was a resident of the Heisinger Community where she made many friends. The love, friendship, and care provided to her by the Heisinger staff will forever be appreciated by her family. She always said "I am in a good place."

Survivors include: two sons, Gary McKinney of Meeker, Colo., and Dennis McKinney and his wife Patricia of St. Cloud, Minn.; one sister, Genevieve "Gevvy" Blume Benton and her husband Delbert "Doc" of Chicago, Ill.; three sisters-in-law, Pauline Blume and Helen Blume, both of Jefferson City, Mo., and Lois Blume of Hurst Texas; 17 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren; and 15 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two sons, Eugene P. "Gene" McKinney and Gerald Thomas "Tom" McKinney II; and four brothers, Paul Blume, Herbert Blume, Jack Blume, and Tony Blume.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10 a.m., Saturday, December 27, 2008, at St. Peter Church with Monsignor Donald Lammers officiating. Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be at Freeman Mortuary from 5-7 p.m. Friday with a prayer service to be conducted at 7 p.m. in the Freeman Chapel. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to Heisinger Bluffs Senior Living Center. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Freeman Mortuary. www.freemanmortuary.com