Obituary for Frances McKinney Mann
Having celebrated her 100th birthday in February, Frances McKinney Mann, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend died peacefully on June 5, 2020, at Fleshers Nursing Home, Fairview, NC, where she had resided for the past three years.
Originally from Rutherford County, Frances was born on February 10th, 1920, to parents Arthur Marion and Blanche Crain Tomblin. She graduated from Asheville Normal School for Teachers in 1941. In 1943 she married Hal Ellis McKinney, accompanying him on military assignments in New York, Boston, and Norfolk, before they settled in Swannanoa following World War II. Her twenty-year teaching career was spent mainly at Swannanoa Elementary School.
Frances was also an active member of the First Baptist Church of Swannanoa teaching adult Sunday School, participating in the Women’s Missionary Union, and regularly assisting in a local women’s prison ministry. She played bridge on a regular basis, was an avid reader and loved to travel with her friends. She counted among her many friends’ former students who were forever influenced by her. Frances was deeply spiritual; she lived her life as the Bible taught. She was a woman of infinite patience, a ready smile and an understated wit. She truly loved her family and her friends who are too numerous to count. She was an inspiration to those who knew and loved her.
Above all, Frances Mann loved her family. She served the most delicious meals to her circle of five, but they became extraordinarily bountiful and festive when guests were invited to join in around the table. She attended practically every event possible involving her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren—scout award programs, church pageants, athletic competitions, graduations, choral concerts and weddings. With pride, she showed off her grandchildren and then her great grands. She indulged them all, playing games on the floor and rereading the same story for the uncounted number of times.
Frances was predeceased by husbands, Hal E. McKinney and Verie G. Mann. Left to cherish her memory are sisters, Mildred Morrow (Tommy) and Naomi McCraw; daughters, Caroll Raedels (Fred) and Anita Price (Terry); son, Robert “Bob” McKinney (Lori); grandchildren, Hal Purgason, Andrea Purgason Clark, Alicia Price Ingle (Steve), Margaret McKinney Rollins (Richard), and Laura McKinney; great grandchildren, Brandon Bowman, Justin Purgason, Cooper Ingle, Morgyn and Jaxon Clark.
A private graveside service for Frances will be at Mountain View Memorial Park on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. A public memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to the First Baptist Church in Swannanoa or worthy cause of your choosing.
Originally from Rutherford County, Frances was born on February 10th, 1920, to parents Arthur Marion and Blanche Crain Tomblin. She graduated from Asheville Normal School for Teachers in 1941. In 1943 she married Hal Ellis McKinney, accompanying him on military assignments in New York, Boston, and Norfolk, before they settled in Swannanoa following World War II. Her twenty-year teaching career was spent mainly at Swannanoa Elementary School.
Frances was also an active member of the First Baptist Church of Swannanoa teaching adult Sunday School, participating in the Women’s Missionary Union, and regularly assisting in a local women’s prison ministry. She played bridge on a regular basis, was an avid reader and loved to travel with her friends. She counted among her many friends’ former students who were forever influenced by her. Frances was deeply spiritual; she lived her life as the Bible taught. She was a woman of infinite patience, a ready smile and an understated wit. She truly loved her family and her friends who are too numerous to count. She was an inspiration to those who knew and loved her.
Above all, Frances Mann loved her family. She served the most delicious meals to her circle of five, but they became extraordinarily bountiful and festive when guests were invited to join in around the table. She attended practically every event possible involving her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren—scout award programs, church pageants, athletic competitions, graduations, choral concerts and weddings. With pride, she showed off her grandchildren and then her great grands. She indulged them all, playing games on the floor and rereading the same story for the uncounted number of times.
Frances was predeceased by husbands, Hal E. McKinney and Verie G. Mann. Left to cherish her memory are sisters, Mildred Morrow (Tommy) and Naomi McCraw; daughters, Caroll Raedels (Fred) and Anita Price (Terry); son, Robert “Bob” McKinney (Lori); grandchildren, Hal Purgason, Andrea Purgason Clark, Alicia Price Ingle (Steve), Margaret McKinney Rollins (Richard), and Laura McKinney; great grandchildren, Brandon Bowman, Justin Purgason, Cooper Ingle, Morgyn and Jaxon Clark.
A private graveside service for Frances will be at Mountain View Memorial Park on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. A public memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to the First Baptist Church in Swannanoa or worthy cause of your choosing.