Geneva Leanna Cooksey McKinney

Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Geneva McKinney

Geneva Leanna Cooksey McKinney, 89, of Gosnell, widow of Silas Edward McKinney, died Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013, at the Great River Medical Center in Blytheville. Born at Selmer, Tenn., she was the daughter of the late Everette Christopher and Francis Louisa Flatt Cooksey and had been a Blytheville area resident since 1959. The daughter of a sharecropper, she worked in the cotton fields and never attended school. She didn't learn to read until 1959 when she prayed for a miracle that God would let her learn to read the Bible. She not only learned to read but was able to quote scripture. She was loved and admired by her family and many friends.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by three grandchildren, Scotty England, Jackie Koonce and Tommy McKinney; a brother, Elmer Cooksey; four sisters, Rheba Dill, Mary Cooksey, Evalene Cooksey and Mavis Sanders; and a son-in-law, Teddy England.

Survivors include four sons, Charles McKinney and wife Hazel of Gosnell, Jerry McKinney and wife Lilly of Jonesboro, Eddie McKinney of Blytheville and Donnie McKinney and wife Sharon of Paragould; four daughters, Lisa Bougher and husband Richard of Smyrna, Tenn., Shirley Wright and husband Roy of Gosnell, Brenda Humble and husband Frankie of Blytheville and Jannette Taylor and husband Mark of Dell; one sister, Louise Easley of Monroe, La.; 22 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be 1 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the Howard Funeral Service Chapel in Manila with Rev. Bobby McDaniels officiating. Burial will follow in Dogwood Cemetery in Blytheville.

The family received visitors from 6-8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.

Guest register www.howardfuneralservice.com