Betty Lou McKinnie

Betty was born on November 3, 1939, in Paradise, Texas, a small town outside of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. She was one of five children born to parents Travis Dewey Foreman and Ruth (Faust) Foreman. Betty, her four siblings, and her parents later moved to Bridgeport, Texas, where she met a young man named Blyde Thomas “Tommy” McKinnie, Jr., who was working as a welder at the local gas plant. She and Tommy wed in 1958 and traveled around the country together while Tommy was working in the military, and later as a civilian. During this time they lived in Wyoming and San Francisco, which they enjoyed. The pair eventually settled in Memphis, Tennessee.

Betty and Tommy welcomed their son, John Blyde McKinnie, in 1965. They moved to Frayser, a suburb of Memphis, in 1965 as well and became members of East Frayser Church of Christ. After moving to nearby Tipton County in Tennessee in the early 2000s, Betty attended Rosemark Church of Christ. She eventually resided in Lakeland, a suburb outside of Memphis, and became a member of Great Oaks Church of Christ.

Throughout Betty’s career she worked in several different roles, including positions at Ben Franklin Warehouse and Chromium Mining and Smelting. She worked at MATA for many years as an Administrative Assistant until her retirement.

During her free time she enjoyed being outdoors, particularly when walking in her neighborhood and working in her garden. She had a talent and love of crocheting and knitting, making many baby blankets, hats, and dish cloths to share with others. As a proud three-time breast cancer survivor, Betty also volunteered at Reach to Recovery, an organization supporting other cancer survivors.

Betty loved reading, especially mystery novels. She was very frugal and resourceful. Rather than buying new books, she would often come home from the library with a stack as high as she could carry and trade other books among neighbors. She appreciated music and often joined in on band and school trips with family throughout the course of several decades. She got a thrill out of traveling, whether in the U.S. or abroad. Betty spent time with dear friends when traveling to several countries, including Switzerland, China, and Austria. Wyoming, South Carolina, and San Francisco were a few of her favorite places in the U.S.

Along with her parents, Travis and Ruth Foreman, Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Blyde Thomas “Tommy” McKinnie, Jr., who passed away in 2012; and by her four siblings: Neta Fay, Leon, Gene, and Lannie Ross.

Betty is survived by her son, John McKinnie (Cindy), of Bartlett, Tennessee, and their two daughters.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Betty’s memory to the American Cancer Society’s ACS CARES program, formerly known as Reach to Recovery, to support cancer survivors.