SSG Julian Antonio McKinnon

Our beloved son, brother, nephew, friend and hero Staff Sgt. Julian Antonio McKinnon left us to join his father Peter C. McKinnon in Heaven Friday June 6, 2014. Julian was born to Peter and Rosario McKinnon on March 5, 1989 at Torrejon Air Base, Madrid Spain. The eldest of four children, Julian took great pride in being big brother to Joshua, Mariyah and Michelle.

He loved giving orders so much, he joined the US Army in 2007 and moved up achieving the rank of E6 in 6 years with many accommodation and achievement awards to include an Air Force Achievement Medal. Julian’s dream job as a child was to become a meteorologist and that is what his first job in the Army would be...Field Artillery/Meteorology. As a Private First Class, Julian deployed to Iraq for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2007 and again as a Sgt. He deployed to Iraq for Operation New Dawn in 2011. His last duty station was in Independence, Mo., where he served as a Recruiter for the U.S. Army. During his time there he spoke and mentored high school students and recruited young men and women as future soldiers for the U.S. Army. Also in Independence, Julian served in the Color Guard and made appearances at several national sporting events. He was a member of the VFW Post No. 6603 in Kansas City, Mo., their youngest member to date.

Julian is preceded in death by his father Peter C. McKinnon, his paternal grandmother Germaine McKinnon, his maternal grandfather Felipe Surita, Sr. maternal Grandmother Ramona M. Surita and his paternal aunt Diane Marie McKinnon. He is survived by his mother Rosario S. McKinnon, brother Joshua McKinnon and fiancé Samantha Cerna, sisters Mariyah and Michelle McKinnon all of San Antonio; his paternal grandfather Charles McKinnon of Boca Raton, Fl., his girlfriend Kenna Smiles of Kansas City, Mo. and a host of many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Visitation will be at Sunset Northwest Funeral Home on Bandera Road on Sunday June 15, 2014 from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. with a rosary at 7:00 P.M. The funeral procession will depart the funeral home at 9:30 A.M. Monday, June 16, 2014 for a 10:00 A.M. mass at St. Matthew Catholic Church, 10703 Wurzbach Road 78230. Interment will follow at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery with full Army Military Honors.