Miriam Pierce (Smith) McKinley

MIRIAM PIERCE SMITH MCKINLEY

Miriam Pierce Smith McKinley of Eatonton, GA, died on August 21, 2016 at the age of 81 years.  Born on December 23, 1934, in the Liberty Community of Greene County, Georgia, she was the daughter of the late Joe Branson and Hallie Turner Smith.  She graduated from Greensboro High School in 1952 and from Georgia State College for Women (now Georgia College) in Milledgeville in 1956.  During her teen years, Miriam served as pianist at Liberty United Methodist Church.  Following college, she taught school and served as librarian at Central Gwinnett High School, Lawrenceville, GA until her second child was born.  She loved flowers and always made sure that her house was in order and yard manicured.  She was very involved with rearing her children, making sure that they did their school work and were in church every Sunday.  She had a beautiful singing voice and loved to sing all the old hymns which she knew by heart.  She often sang in church choirs and taught Sunday School for many years.  Miriam loved to work cross-word puzzles, read, and above all travel.  She and her husband  camped in many locations throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Mexico, and the Maritime Provinces of Canada.  They also traveled to Hawaii, Europe, the British Isles, the Greek Isles, the Holyland, Egypt, South America, Central America, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and Istanbul, Turkey.  Wherever they went, Miriam always kept a daily log while her husband took photos.  Once home, Miriam would document their travels in wonderfully detailed scrapbooks which she assembled with loving care.  

In addition to her husband of more than 60 years, Thomas McKinley, Miriam is survived by two daughters; Karen and husband Bruce Talgo of Suwanee, GA, and Krista and husband Mark Miller of Orlando, FL; brother Keith and wife Margie Smith of Smyrna, GA; grandchildren Kyle Woodall, Cole Miller, and Nathan Miller; niece Denise Dupuy of Woodstock, GA; nephew Dane and wife Tina Smith of Fountainville, PA; great-nephew Branson Dupuy; and great-nieces Brandi Smith and Kaitlin Dupuy.

The family will receive visitors at McCommons Funeral Home, 109 West Broad Street, Greensboro, GA 30642 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, August 22, 2016.  Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 at Liberty United Methodist Church, 3091 Liberty Church Road, White Plains, GA 30678 with burial to follow in the church cemetery.  Dr. Rick Standard and Rev. Tom Compton will conduct the service.  Serving as pallbearers are Kyle Woodall, Nathan Miller, Cole Miller, John McKinley, Frank McKinley, Roger Webb, Alan Fowler, Ben Fowler. The family requests that any memorials be made to Liberty United Methodist Church building fund, c/o Dede Smith, 1691 Bramlett Road, Greensboro, GA 30642.  McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Miriam Pierce (Smith) McKinley, please visit our floral store.