Tom Chase McKenney

 Tom McKenney, born in Lexington, KY in 1930, was a graduate of the University of Kentucky (B.S. in Agriculture) and of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (M. Sc in Zoology and Botany). He served in the US Marine Corps, reaching the rank of Lt. Col., serving in both Korea and Vietnam. Col. McKenney taught at the USMC amphibious warfare school and was a seminal member of Test Unit 1. He was the first Marine to complete the US Army's paratrooper program (“Green Beret”) at Fort Campbell and was one of the earliest Force Recon. Marines (Marine Special Forces, now called Marine Raiders). McKenney taught biology and botany at Greenville High School in Ohio, at Paducah Junior College in Kentucky, and at Francis Marion College in South Carolina.

 After being disabled in Vietnam, McKenney raised beef cattle in Crittenden County and became a Bible teacher and founded a small Christian teaching ministry (Words for Living Ministries). He and his wife, Marty, led the biannual Believers Retreat for 25 years. He was involved in short term missions in Latin America and Haiti and was the author of 9 books as well as magazine articles (Biblical teaching, botany, and history). He was active in the MIA/POW advocacy movement. He attended Wesley Methodist church for many years and led a Sunday School class there. Tom made friends everywhere he went, often referring to a person he knew as "one of the finest men (or women) he ever met," and he meant it. Tom was honorable, hard-working, and generous. He thought that what you believe should have an effect on how you live your life, and he tried to follow the Biblical call to "Do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God." He loved the word of God and taught it wherever the need arose and the Holy Spirit led him, often witnessing, helping with water baptisms, and always sharing Jesus.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Martha ("Marty") McKenney, his parents, Garnet and Theresa McKenney, his sisters, Martha Bach and Mildred McKeown, and his brother, Dr. Jerry McKenney. 

Col. McKenney is survived by his children, Melissa (Fran) Walker, Jefferson (Rosanne) McKenney, Susan (Pat) Jarvis, and Sally (Joe) Mahoney; 12 grandchildren, Sarah, Andrew, Nathaniel, Gabriel, Hannah, Katherine, Elizabeth, Susanna, Rebecca, Margaret, Rachel, and Thomas; and 11 great-grandchildren; and many beloved nieces and nephews. 

Visitation is scheduled on Saturday, November 16 from 1:00 - 2:00 pm at Ocean Springs United Methodist Church at 8900 Old Spanish Trail Rd. Services will follow there at 2:00 pm with a time of fellowship and dessert to follow in the fellowship hall at the Church. Interment will take place the following Saturday in Marion, Ky.

 Donations may be made to The Cornerstone Foundation (9032 Woolmarket Rd., Biloxi, MS) or to New Life for Girls of Dover, PA (PO Box 170, Dover, PA 17315-9985).

 Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home is honored to serve the family of Tom McKenney.