May 7, 2023

Margery “Marge” McDonald McKinley, 97, of Brownsville (Malden), died Sunday, April 30, 2023, in her home.

She was born March 18, 1926, in Lakewood Ohio, the third daughter of the late Thomas Fraser and Helene Jongewaard McDonald.

Mrs. McKinley graduated with a BA from the University of Iowa 1948. At Iowa, she was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, Mortar Board, and served as Honorary Cadet Colonel in 1948. It was as a member of the University of Iowa Scottish Highlanders that she met her future husband, Chas McKinley. Chas was the drum major for Iowa’s marching band and during band practice as the two bands rehearsed a company front Chas spotted Marge. Marge agreed to go out with him because her sorority sister told her he was voted best dancer of his high school class. The rest, as they say, was history.

In August 1948, she married Charles W. McKinley of Clinton, Iowa and together they moved to the Brownsville area in the fall of 1949. She and her husband became owners of the Brownsville Publishing Corporation, publisher of The Telegraph a daily newspaper in the early 1970s. The company was sold in 1988.

At the time of her death, she was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of California and was a former member of the First Presbyterian Church (now Fort Burd) of Brownsville. She served as AAUW president of the California State College chapter in 1978-80.

Mrs. McKinley devoted herself to taking care of her five children. When she learned of her son’s brain injury, she and her husband sought out treatments which would allow him to reach his fullest potential. One of those treatments included Doman Delacato method. For over four years, the McKinley home was visited daily by neighbors and friends who volunteered to help “pattern” Chuck four times a day. Likewise, when her daughter Laura was diagnosed with the eye condition keratoconus, they explored various treatments including corneal transplants and specialized eyewear.

Mrs. McKinley is survived by three daughters, Dr. Karen L. McKinley of Norfolk, Va., Leslie M. McKinley of Brooklyn, N.Y., Margery L. McKinley of California; her granddaughter, Megan McKinley Thomas (Mark) of Silver Spring, Md.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was predeceased by her husband, Charles “Chas” W. McKinley (2010); her daughter, Laura Ann McKinley (2018); and son, Charles “Chuck” W. McKinley, Jr. (2011); her parents and siblings, Elaine Henderson of Hotchkiss, Colo., Barbara Robbins of Berea, Ohio, and Thomas D. McDonald of Cleveland, Ohio/Palm City, Fla. She was the last of her immediate family.

The family would like to thank aides Debbie and Dawn with Home Instead and nurses Jackie and Cindy as well aides Adelia, Georgie, Lisa and others with Amedisys Hospice for the care and kindness they extended to their mother.

Friends will be received from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 12, in the John B. Greenlee Funeral Home, 2830 Main Street, Beallsville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 13, in the First Presbyterian Church, 303 4th Street, California.

Interment will take place in Clinton, Iowa, at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Brownsville Free Public Library, 100 Seneca Street, Brownsville, PA 15417; the Washington County Community Foundation Inc. – Northrop Family Fund, 331 S. Main Street, Washington, PA 15301; Brownsville Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 300, Brownsville, PA 15417; First Presbyterian Church of California, 303 4th Street, California, PA 15419; or YWCA National Capital Area at ywcanca.org.