(May 14, 1923 – January 26, 2019)
Service will be on Thursday, January 31, 2019 at the First Baptist Church in Dublin, Texas. He will be put to rest at Dublin Liveoak Cemetery.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 at the Harrell Funeral Home in Dublin, Texas.
Laten Neal (Bud) McKinney (95) of Dublin, Texas was born May 14, 1923 in an old railroad house on Resley Creek across from the Grist Mill to Jake Neal McKinney and Cora Mae (Burnett) McKinney. He went to be with his Lord on January 26, 2019 at the Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville with his son by his side.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Ferol Smith, along and his wife, Ella Marguerite (Houk) McKinney. He is survived by his son, Colonel Neal McKinney (USAF, Retired) of San Antonio, Texas.
Bud started working at the age of 12 at McILROY Grocery Store, since his father was disabled, from 1936 until 1961, except for the years (1943-1946) when he was in the military. He graduated early from Dublin High School in 1943 in order to enter the Army to fight for his country. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant and was a platoon sergeant, specializing in demolition, at a replacement training center in Fort Louis, Washington. After this assignment, he transported German prisoners of war back to Europe and then was on his way to Japan for the invasion of the Japanese homeland—fortunately for him, prior to the invasion, President Truman ended the war with the dropping of two atomic bombs.
During the war, he met the love of his life, Ella Marguerite Houk, when he was home on furlough. They met at picnic hosted by McILROY Grocery Store. They married September 21, 1947 and their son (Edward Neal McKinney) was born April 1952. In January 1961, Bud went to work at the Dublin Post Office where he worked until he retired in January 1988. During this time, he advanced from substitute clerk, Mail Carrier, Assistant Postmaster, to Postmaster. He was the Postmaster from December 17, 1979 until his retirement in 1988.
Bud and Marguerite’s life centered around service to their community and church. Bud was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Dublin and served as the President of the Board of Deacons as well as a Sunday School Teacher for many years. He was also a key part of the construction as well as the renovation of the current First Baptist Church. In addition, he was active in the Meals on Wheels Program and Good Fellas which helped families in need.
Throughout his life, Bud lived by the motto: “There’s no limit to what a man can do if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.”
He will be remembered by:
His son Colonel Edward Neal McKinney of San Antonio, Texas and Dublin, Texas
His sister-in-law: Dorothy Barnes of De Leon, Texas
His nieces and their Husbands: Carolyn and Dan Burlison, Janie and Connie Welch, and Tracie Day
and several friends and relatives who will miss him.
Memorials may be made to: First Baptist Church, 220 East Liveoak Street, Dublin, Texas, 76446 or The Dublin Rodeo Museum, 118 West Blackjack Street, Dublin, Texas, 76446
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