Weldon McKinney

ROCK - Weldon Warren McKinney, 77, of Rock, passed away on Saturday, June 8, 2024 following a battle with lung cancer. Born January 31, 1947 in Matoaka, he was the son of the late Wiley McKinney and Violet Green McKinney. Growing up in southern West Virginia, Weldon relished both city (yes, I just referred to Matoaka as a city) and farm life. Following graduation from Spanishburg high school, Weldon joined the US Navy where he spent four years triangulating and locating Russian submarines (he did not know he was allowed to talk about that until he saw it on The History Channel years later). Following his time in the Navy, Weldon began working for Norfolk Southern where he became an engineer driving trains (or as Dad would put it “honey, you don’t drive a train, you run a train.”). While working for the railroad, he met the love of his life, Judy Carol Justice McKinney. Judy was working for the post office and Weldon’s brother (a fellow Navy Veteran and postal worker) made him aware of the young postal worker. Meeting Judy led to a 45-year relationship and 44-year marriage where they became the proud parents of four boys. Weldon was a proud Veteran, railroader, husband, father, and grandfather. An accomplished farmer with a truly green thumb, he loved golfing, hunting, and fishing. None of these made him happier than when he was sharing them with his grandchildren. He could spend hours out back teaching them to shoot, and he did (all the kids had to do was ask Poppa). He helped his grandbabies start their own gardens and instill in them the love he had for the growing. If you could sum Weldon McKinney up in one word it would be family. You could talk with Weldon about any of his hobbies, but what he loved talking about most was his grandbabies, and how proud he and Judy are of the family they created. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by siblings, Jean Lavigne, Eldee McKinney, James McKinney, Billy McKinney and Jack McKinney. Survivors include his wife, Judy Carol Justice McKinney; his four boys, their wives and nine grandchildren: eldest son, Brandon Warren McKinney, second son, Brian Weldon and his wife Mary Beth, and their children Ronan Justice, Aralynn Rose, Ashlyn Ryleigh, and Liam Iley McKinney, third son, Patrick Wiley and his wife Erica, and their children Aidan Wesley, Evelyn Rae and Easton Wiley McKinney and fourth son, Jonathan Rush and his wife Amanda, and their children Warren Daniel, and Victoria Elizabeth McKinney; and siblings, Betty Green, Wiley McKinney and Chester McKinney. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday June 12, 2024 at Bailey Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton with Blaney Pridgen officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the Mercer County Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive friends Wednesday, June 12, 2024 from 2:00 p.m. until service hour at the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.bailey-kirk.com.

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Weldon McKinney

January 31, 1947 - June 8, 2024