Van Alstyne Leader
February 10, 1927

John Verna McKinney was born at Van Alstyne, Texas, on January 17, 1895, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack H. McKinney.  He grew into manhood at the place of his birth, and except for the time when in the service of his country, about two years during which he lived at Sherman, and during his stay at the hospital at Legion, Texas, preceding his death, maintained his residence here.

At the age of eleven, he confessed and became a member of the First Christian church, retaining his adherence to that faith until his death, and re-consecrating himself at the time Mrs. McKinney became a member of that church.  He passed away following a long illness, at the government hospital at Legion, Texas due to having been gassed and to wounds received during the world war, on Monday, January 31, 1927.

When the United States entered the world war, Mr. McKinney was one of the first of the young men of this section to be sent to France, serving in the 7th division of the American Expeditionary Force as a member of Company I, 55th Infantry, from July 17, 1918 until May 27, 1919, at which time he re-enlisted, returning to this country, and being stationed at Camp Funston, Kansas, until May 27, 1920, when he was given an honorable discharge from the army.

On September 5, 1923, Mr. McKinney was married at Sherman, Texas, to Miss Marie Sisk of Van Alstyne, and until 1925, was a resident of that city, he being connected with the Sherman Produce Company.  His health forced him to resign his position, and except for two or three brief visits at his home at his home
at Van Alstyne, he spent the time until his death at the government hospital at Legion.

Surviving are Mrs. McKinney and their 2-1/2 years old daughter, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jack H. McKinney, two brothers, Ward McKinney of Big Lake, and Hershel McKinney of Van Alstyne, and a number of other relatives.

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Funeral services for John Verna McKinney were held at the First Christian church on Thursday, February 3, following the arrival on Wednesday of the body from Legion.  Rev. Leo Johnston, former pastor of the church, but now the pastor of the Central Christian church at Greenville, and Rev. G.C. Brewer, the pastor of the Walnut Street church of Christ at Sherman, officiating at the services.  Both ministers in delivering their impressive eulogies, spoke with the benefit of a close personal acquaintance with the deceased,
and the tributes which they gave to his exemplary life and Christian character were of the highest and most commendatory nature.  It was with them and with the large gathering of friends of the deceased
and his family who were present, an occasion when the heartfelt expression of grief, the inevitable sequence of death, was accompanied by an abundance of cause for assurances that there was finished in the life of John Verna McKinney an epitome f devotion to the ideals of the Christian and of the professing believer and an exalted type of manly character in all of his other earthly relations, which even under the pall of stillness and on the verge of the return of his mortal remains to their native element, afforded hope and inspiration to those who would profit from the example set by him, and assurance that in the land of rest, the benediction of the faithful had been bestowed as his spirit took its place in the halls beyond the river.

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Following the ceremony, interment was had at the Van Alstyne cemetery in the presence of a large gathering of friends and beneath a mound upon which many floral offerings, mute evidence of love,
and esteem, attested the sorrow felt, alike by relatives and friends.
Many out-of-town friends, among them a number of the comrades-at-arms of Mr. McKinney were in Van Alstyne to attend the funeral, all joining with the friends at home in sympathizing most sincerely with the family and relatives of Mr. McKinney in the bereavement which has come to them.
Pallbearers were as follows:
Active - Herbert Parish, Carlyle Moore, W. M. House, L. C. Hartwig, Lee Kinard, Jeffie Means.
Honorary - Members of the American Legion Posts and ex-service men of Grayson and Collin counties.
    

CARD OF THANKS

We wish to take this method of thanking our many kind friends and neighbors for their many words of comfort and deeds of kindness in the loss of our beloved John Verna McKinney, also for the many beautiful floral offerings.  May you have the same comfort from dear friends when you have an hour of sorrow such as was ours.

    Mrs. Marie Sisk McKinney and daughter
    Mr. and Mrs. Jack McKinney
    Mr. and Mrs. Ward McKinney
    Mrs. and Mrs. Hershel McKinney