My Younger Days
This Obituary:
Tuesday, January 24, 2006 12:05 PM CST
Paul F. McKinney (1953-2006)
SUMNER— Paul Franklin McKinney, 52, of Sumner, died at home Wednesday, Jan. 18.
He was born Nov. 14, 1953, in Chattanooga, Tenn., son of Armon J. and Cora Conn McKinney Sr.
Mr. McKinney graduated from Sumner High School in 1971, then served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Forrestal, the USS Kennedy and the USS Ethan Allen. He drove a semi for a time and worked at Southern Classic Trailer Manufacturing, and most recently has worked for several years at Life-Line Emergency Vehicles in Sumner.
Survivors include: a son, Nathanial of Sumner; his father of Sale Creek, Tenn.; his mother, Cora Ferguson of Sumner; a brother, A.J. (Robbie) McKinney Jr. of Sumner; a sister, Arlene (Dennis) Vandersee of Fayette; and a half brother, Steven (Dannette) Jones of Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Services: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Faith Evangelical Church, with burial in Union Mound Cemetery, both in Sumner. Military rites will be conducted by Thomas E. Woods Post 223 American Legion of Sumner. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home, Sumner, and for an hour before services Wednesday at the church.
is about someone I knew well when I was younger.
He and his family lived across the street from mine.
It was a time when you not only knew your neighbors, you also knew their "comings and goings". And they knew yours.
It was a time when Frank (We didn't call him 'Paul'), me and other kids our age would go to the abandoned buildings by the railroad tracks and smoke cigarrettes that Frank had lifted from his Mom's purse (Fucking Menthols ). Or play baseball (with wood Louisville Sluggers) in the vacant lot just down the road.
Oh, to be young again...
Frank was the victim of a homicide. His son is being held as a witness.
When I heard about this a couple of days ago, the memories came flooding in like crazy. So, to a lessor extent, did the guilt.
You see, Frank was one of those childhood friends that I had lost track of. In fact, I think the last time I saw or talked to Frank was when I went back home for my Dad's funeral in 1994. May have even been longer ago than that.What a shame...
See ya Later, Frank...
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