Heyward Harold McKinney, Sr

Heyward Harold McKinney, Sr., passed away peacefully at his home in Wadesboro Tuesday, October 4, 2011. Funeral services will be 11:00am Friday, October 7, 2011 at First Baptist Church, Wadesboro with Dr. Robert Hunter, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in Anson Memorial Park. The family will greet friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 5:00pm until 7:00pm. He was born November 22, 1916 in Chesnee, South Carolina. He was the youngest child of William Clinton and Clara Mildred Eudora McKinney. He was pre-deceased by siblings Miriam Louisa McKinney, Clara Nadine McKinney, Carlisle Crawford McKinney, Alleen McKinney McDonald, Ruth McKinney Davis, William McKinney, and Lena McKinney Staton; a daughter, Linda McKinney Greer; a granddaughter, Kelly Gaddy. He was married to Mabel Horne McKinney Thomas, who also predeceased him. He is survived by daughter Barbara McKinney Gaddy and husband, Richard of Tallahassee, Florida, and son Heyward McKinney, Jr. and wife, Gildaof Raleigh. Other survivors include his grandchildren Walter Gaddy, Andy Moore, Alleen McKinney, and John McKinney, four great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.. He also leaves his special and dearest friend of many years, Frances Hunley. Heyward grew up on farm near Chesnee, SC, was educated in local schools and Clemson University, majoring in Agricultural Engineering. At Clemson, he was active in the Senior Platoon. He graduated in 1938 and received a commission in infantry, as Clemson was a military school in those days. He maintained a life-long interest and devotion to Clemson University especially its athletic programs. In 1998, he led the establishment of an endowed scholarship fund in the Ag-Bio Engineering Department with other Agricultural Engineering graduates. In 2006, he started his own endowment fund for the department. After graduation from college, he worked briefly in retail, teaching, and the U.S. Soil Conservation Service before moving to Wadesboro, NC and joining the Anson Mutual Electric Co-Operative which later became Pee Dee Electric Membership Cooperation. His career was interrupted by World War II in which he served in the U.S. Air Force in Europe and North Africa as Ordinance Officer in the Heavy Bombardment Group. After the war, he returned to Pee Dee Electric where he became General Manager and enjoyed a career of more than forty years, retiring in 1981. During his professional career, he was very active at the state and national levels of the rural electrification industry. He served two terms as President of the North Carolina Electric Membership Cooperation, and was Chairman of a number of State and National Committees over the years. Known as 'Mac' by his golfing buddies and friends, he was an avid golfer nearly his entire life. He was a member of Twin Valley Country Club in Wadesboro, NC practically his entire adult life. Though never a great golfer, he did place in a number of local tournaments and made a few holes-in-one over the years. He also had the unique honor of having been appointed official Commissioner of Golf of the State of North Carolina by his long time friend, Governor Bob Scott. He was a nature enthusiast and was very much an environmentalist long before such pursuits became fashionable. Governor Scott also recognized his interests and talents in this area and appointed him to the State Board of Conservation and Development. He launched and for years maintained a major effort to encourage conservation and recovery of the Eastern Bluebird when that species was threatened. He distributed hundreds of bluebird houses, maintained trails, spoke to interested groups, and served as president of the local chapter of the Bluebird Society. He convinced the County Commissioners to proclaim Anson County, 'Bluebird Kingdom of the World' and mounted a campaign to raise funds and erect attractive signs on roads leading into the county to welcome visitors and inform them of the county's unique designation as a haven for bluebirds. He also loved gardening, and always enjoyed producing and putting up home grown vegetables and sharing them with friends. He was a devoted and faithful member of First Baptist Church in Wadesboro from the time he came to town until the end of his life. He would be pleased if in lieu of flowers, consideration be given to memorial gifts to the First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 423, Wadesboro, NC 28170 or the Heyward H. McKinney Memorial Endowment at Clemson University, Clemson University Foundation, P. O. Box 1889, Clemson, SC 29633. The arrangements are in care of Leavitt Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.leavittfuneralhomewadesboro.com