Norma Rae McKinney

Norma was born to Lena Mae (Taylor) and Antonio Kosta, on February 25, 1936 in Rio Hondo, Texas, and passed onto the Lord early morning on May 31, 2021 in Nashua, New Hampshire.

Norma spent her formative years in Texas and California, where she graduated from Tulelake High School in 1954. Norma enrolled at Lewis and Clark College and Point Loma University to earn her degree in Home Economics, and at Lewis and Clark College she met a handsome young man, John Thomas (Tom) McKinney. A year after being pinned they were married in 1957. Their adventure together soon started in Pasadena, California where their 3 daughters Cynthia, Amy, and Jennifer were born. Before long, Tom’s job moved the family to Chesham, Great Missenden and Gerrard’s Cross in England where they spent the next 7 years as a family exploring the English countryside, having adventures traveling Europe in a VW Kombi and travelling across the Atlantic Ocean in the QEII at least 5 times (Norma REALLY did not like flying… “it’s for the birds”). Eventually, Tom’s job moved back to the States where the family settled into their new life in New Hampshire. Norma was involved in oil and tole painting, quilting clubs, designed-developed and sold Christmas crafts and ornaments for some time, volunteered with the local garden clubs helping to organize many fun events such as fabulous flower shows. She was also co-leader on the Mont Vernon Beautification Committee for several years. During this time, she went back to college and earned her Interior Design certification, putting her skills into practice in her own home.

Her proudest accomplishment was to see all three of her girls graduate from college. Those who knew her, will remember how much fun she had decorating, preparing for and enjoying the Thanksgiving and Christmas season with her family. This included ‘sharing the spirit’ by creating fresh Christmas wreaths, baked goods, and other gifts for others. Her love for her family was never deterred, not even by a pandemic. She looked forward to, and enjoyed her weekly video calls where she shared her words of encouragement consistently and at the end of each call telling her beautiful daughters how proud she was of them, and how much she loved them.

Norma is survived by her husband Tom McKinney, her daughters Cindy Bruce (of Imperial, California), Amy Mechem. (of Broadlands, Virginia), and Jennifer Murphy (of Lincroft, New Jersey and Naples, Florida); grandchildren Mandy and Caiti; and great grandchildren Abby and Evan.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Mont Vernon Congregational Church on Wednesday, June 9th, 2021 at 10a.m.

If you would like to honor Norma’s life, please donate a contribution to: Maguerite’s Place (https://www.margueritesplace.org) or St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/about-st-jude/visit/locations.html). In the memo line of your donation, please indicate “in memory of Norma Rae McKinney, Mont Vernon, NH”.

Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. If you would like to share condolences, thoughts, remembrances, prayers, please do so on www.smith-heald.com