Thomas Morton McKinney

As an avid reader of obituaries since the 1970s, Tom read several publications daily to follow the lives of friends, family, and people he never knew. To him, each life story was special, and today the account of events will be his.

MCKINNEY, Thomas Morton (86), loving husband and father, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. Tom was born on July 14, 1936, to Burnice and Edna Louise McKinney in Quality, Kentucky. He grew up on a tobacco farm along with his only brother, Charles Marvin, and they were raised on hard work, hard times, and Jesus. His mother loved the Lord by sharing her faith and playing the organ at church. He was bored in school and, although he was able to skip two grades, he did not pursue a college education. He was a member of The National Guard for one year, but the alluring promise to find a better life led him to join the Navy in 1953 to train on battleships. He was a Torpedoman’s Mate Third Class. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Donna. While stationed in Panama City, Florida, they met on a beach while she was on vacation. Corresponding by letters for six months, Donna rode the train from Houston to Rhode Island to be married on December 28, 1955. They were stationed in Newport where Tom had the coveted duty of driving for the Admiral. Their time in Newport was one of their favorites and it was there that Tom’s hustle for work kicked into gear. He received an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1957, and moved to Houston, Texas to be near Donna’s family.

Tom settled into a sales career at Revere Aluminum Building Products where he achieved numerous sales awards. With his personality as a salesman prospering, Tom began to mix his love for cars into a lucrative automobile business that he managed on the side. He became a family man welcoming two girls in the 1960’s, Terri Jo and Lisa Joy. They first lived near Hobby Airport, and then moved to north to the FM 1960 area in 1971. He and Donna were active with the girls in school activities, and they became fixtures at the stadium gates selling fundraising items such as cushions, candles and candy for the band and cheerleaders. Tom was so good at selling that people thought he was selling for himself. It was said that he could easily sell one shoe to a person needing two.

During the girls’ high school years Tom retired from Revere in 1977 and went into the automobile business full time. He owned Auto Wholesalers located on Durham in The Heights. He bought and sold cars by the truckload doing business all over the country. He was a member of the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (NIADA), Texas Independent Automobile Dealers Association (TIADA) and Houston Independent Automobile Dealers Association (HIADA). He was fond of many of the owners, managers, and salesmen of the various auto dealerships around Houston and treasured all of them as his friends. Progressing into a new avenue of business, Tom purchased Texas Dealers Auction on North Shepherd in 1983 and began the business of overseeing a volume of vehicles sold every Thursday night. He sold the auction in 1989 and retired.

Having moved to Friendswood in 1985, Tom lived out his retirement years raising cattle, gardening, buying real estate, RV traveling, investing in the stock market, and watching sports and CNBC. He was diagnosed with a heart condition in 1998 which required him to live a healthier lifestyle. He was a people person who enjoyed any type of social gathering and was fondly known to many as Papa Tom. It was his nature to pursue a good deal, and he would even try to bargain at the shopping mall. He loved the prices at Aldi and enjoyed bagging his own groceries. Tom was an exceptional provider for his family, and he will be deeply missed by family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Donna Merle McKinney; his daughters Terri Neely and Lisa Bouley and husband, Larry Bouley; his grandchildren Caroline Sebesta and husband, Clint Sebesta, and Jenni Wiggins and husband, Chris Wiggins, and Jackson Bouley; his great-grandchildren Mia Sebesta, Jenna Sebesta, Lijah Wiggins, Charlie Sebesta, and Levin Wiggins; and his niece Julie McKinney. He is preceded in death by his son in law Bruce Neely, his brother Charles Marvin McKinney, and his parents.

Visitation is on Saturday, November 12th from 11:00 – 1:00 in the Grand Chapel at Forest Park Lawndale, Houston. The funeral will follow at 1:00 pm. The family would like to thank everyone at MD Anderson for all their loving care. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Tom’s favorite charity, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ForestParkLawndaleFH.com for the McKinney family.