Karen Sue Mckinney

Funeral services for Karen Sue McKinney, 69, of Lawrence will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, July 9, 2016 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery.

Karen, horse lover and Kansas girl, died July 3rd on the farm she loved. Tiring of big city life in New York and Toronto after graduating from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA, this Miss Kansas runner-up returned to her hometown where she surrounded herself with family, animals, flowers, and herbs. Karen taught others to love books, theatre, history and the arts by sharing her time and passion for these things, and touched many lives through her compassion and commitment to live as Jesus did. Sharing her special love of horses and youth continued to the end as she just recently helped conclude the Horse Sense Riding Camp that she co-founded and helped run for many summers at White Oak Ranch. Son Jeremiah and wife Michaelah (Swier) Johnson, sister Kathy (McKinney) and husband Mark Nace, brothers Rod McKinney and Scott and wife Susie (Bishop) McKinney, Karen’s four nieces, Jordan McKinney, Jessica (Weaver) Nicholson, Kaitlin McKinney and Ginny Nace and four nephews, Eric Nicholson, Keegan McKinney, Logan McKinney and Liam McKinney and all her family sorely miss her welcoming smile and caring nature.

Karen was born November 1, 1946 in Springfield, MO the daughter of Harold “Mac” and Martha (Blackwood) McKinney. The family moved to Topeka where they lived for several years before settling in Lawrence. Karen graduated from Lawrence High School in 1964 before attending and graduating with a teaching degree from Geneva College in Beaver Falls, PA. She then taught in Queens, NY and later transitioned into real estate when she moved to Canada. After moving back to Lawrence, Karen continued with property management until her death. She was a member and Deacon of Christ Covenant Church and for many years was the Librarian and helped with theatre productions at Veritas Christian School.

The family will also greet friends from 6 – 8 p.m. Friday, July 8 ^th at the mortuary.

Memorials may be made in her name to Lawrence Family Promise and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary.