Vanessa “Lyn” McKay, 64, of Pocola, Oklahoma passed away on April 10, 2025. Lyn was born on January 27, 1961 to Syble “Dee” Foreman and Jimmie T. Cole, Sr. in Dallas, Texas, granddaughter to Sybil and John Nail of Emory, Texas. In the summer of 1981, Lyn met the love of her life, Lonnie McKay and they married on April 17, 1982. Lonnie and Lyn went on to have two daughters, Rachel Lyn and Caitlin Elizabeth, who they raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Above all, Lyn loved and served the Lord.
Lyn was raised in Dallas, but her happiest childhood memories were those of spending time on her grandparents’ farm in Emory. Lyn herself loved being a grandmother. Although she dearly loved her daughters, Rachel and Caitlin, Lyn had always longed for a boy. In 2009, Caitlin gave her a grandson, Haven Keith and in 2016, Rachel followed suit with Parker McKay. She was the best present giver, the best book reader and the best lap for snuggles when it came to her grandsons.
In 2023, after many years of fighting cancer, Lyn became determined to give Lonnie the cabin in the woods that he had always wanted. Being raised in Dallas, Lyn was a city girl married to a country boy from Waldron, AR, so Fort Smith was their compromise for many years. In the spring of 2024, Lyn and Lonnie moved into their cabin in the woods, so that she knew he was where he wanted to be when she ascended to the kingdom of Heaven before him after almost 43 years of marriage.
Lyn worked as a bookkeeper for many years and was well respected for her ability to organize the finances of many different companies. Her most recent position was as the Financial Administrator for Evangel Temple in Fort Smith. During her tenure with ET, she helped secure the financing to build the Dino Hutchings Worship Center. The completion of that building was her proudest professional moment, and she loved to talk about it to all of her friends and family.
When Lyn was not working or raising her daughters, one of her passions was gardening. She often said that she would meet God in the garden when she was on her knees, with her hands in dirt and the sun on her back.
Another passion of Lyn’s were all her fur babies. She was never without at least a couple of them, sometimes to Lonnie’s chagrin. Lyn and Lonnie rarely fought, but the time she brought home two Siberian Huskies tested even 40 years of marriage.
Lyn is survived by her loving husband, Lonnie; two daughters, Rachel Stills of Lowell, AR and Caitlin Williams of Pocola, OK; two grandsons, Haven and Parker and other loving friends and family.
Funeral service will be 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15 at McConnell Funeral Home Chapel in Greenwood with burial at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Fort Smith. Visitation with the family will begin at noon on Tuesday, before the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Grace’s Toy Closet, a non profit organization that supports pediatric oncology patients at Arkansas Children’s Northwest in Springdale, Arkansas. Donations may be made at: www.gracestoycloset.com/donate-shop or through Venmo (@graces_toy_closet).
To share a memory or leave a message for the family, please visit www.mcconnellfh.com.
