Loran R McKinley, Jr.

Loran R (Mac) McKinley, Jr, ended his allotted time on earth on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 at the age of 83. He died peacefully at home and was gently taken to his Eternal Home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Mac was born in Sheridan, IN on May 26, 1938 to Loran and Margaret (Millikan) McKinley. He graduated from Sheridan High School in 1956 where he played on the 1955 Regional Champion basketball team. He attended Taylor University prior to enlisting in the US Army in 1959. In 1962, while stationed in Germany, Mac met and married Judy, whose father was also stationed in Germany with the US Army. They had two children Jon and Marcy. The Army sent Mac to Ball State University where he graduated with a BS in Medical Technology. One of his first assignments was to operate the Blood Donor Center in Okinawa from 1968 to 1971. He was responsible for collecting and distributing much of the blood supplied to our troops in Vietnam during that time. Mac later stated that he felt this was one of the main missions he was given for this life. After Okinawa, Mac was stationed at Ft. Knox, KY, Ft. Sam Houston, TX, Landstuhl, Germany and finished his military career at Redstone Arsenal, AL where he helped to establish and operate the medical lab at the new Fox Army Hospital. He served as a Medical Laboratory Officer throughout his military career. After retiring from the Army as a Major in 1979, Mac continued to work in civilian medical labs. He retired again in 2000 from Huntsville Hospital. Mac loved to travel. After retiring for the second time, Mac and Judy went “On The Road” in their RV. They traveled 10 months a year for the next seventeen years. Major points of interest were visiting National Parks (seeing God’s great handiwork in person), taking steam railroad excursions, and attending gospel and bluegrass music events. Mac was a long time “Ferroequinologist” or lover of trains, starting when he was a child in Indiana. He was a member of the Nashville Garden Railway Society and supported several steam engine restoration projects throughout the US. Over the years he had various unique model train layouts, including one called “Grandpa Mac’s Folly”. He even had one set up outside their RV when they were parked. Mac was known as the “Train Guy” to all of his neighbors and friends. He also had a passion for circuses and rarely missed a chance to visit when the circus came to town. In his later years, Mac could be seen riding his recumbent trike through the neighborhood. Mac attended Grace Lutheran Church in Huntsville, AL. He was preceded in death by his father Loran and mother Margaret. He is survived by his wife, Judy of Madison, AL, his son Jon (Marjorie) of Toney, AL, daughter Marcy of Madison, AL and his brother Leroy and sister Sarah, both of Indiana. He is also survived by granddaughter Justine (Troy) of Jackson, MI and great-grandchildren Morgan and Abigail, step grandchildren Joel (Anita) and Julie (Patrick) both of Huntsville, AL and their families. There are no services pending. Mac will be buried at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo, AL at a future date. The family asks instead of flowers, donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or the charity/organization of your choice. Grandpa Mac’s Folly Grandpa Mac’s Folly is a nice train On a good hand-made track. I look at it and wish I were On that train with my Grandpa Mac. We would ride around the living room And over the furniture Passing people and buildings along the way. Riding the train with my grandpa, I feel happy and secure. Written by Justine McKinley for her Grandpa Mac’s 60th birthday