Roger Clarence McKinley, 64

Roger Clarence McKinley was born at Ada, Oklahoma, on Aug. 21, 1951, to Clarence Clayton McKinley and Sarah Alice Adams McKinley. He passed away on April 9, 2016, at his home on Murr Creek Road, near Marion, with his wife of 33 years, Joanne, at his side.

 When Roger was born, his mother and father were farming south of Ada. Shortly after he was born, the family moved to May, Oklahoma, where his father taught at the school there. After one year, the family moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma, where his father pursued a master’s degree at Oklahoma State University. The family moved to Reserve, New Mexico, for a year before finally landing in Westcliffe, Colorado, where his father again was teaching. Roger started school there until third grade, when his family again moved to Walsh, Colorado, where Roger finished his schooling, graduating from Walsh High School in 1969.

During his schooling, Roger developed an interest in fishing and hunting and enjoyed the many camping vacations with his parents and siblings, Elaine, Les and David. Sundays were always a time for family and church. On Sunday afternoon drives, Roger loved to ride on the tailgate of the family station wagon and shoot his BB gun at anything that moved and some things that didn’t move. Later he worked for various farmers in the area, including one summer on a custom wheat cutting crew. He participated in the Science Club and made many interesting projects. His hobby was his coin collection, which he maintained and added to for his whole life.

After graduating high school in 1969, Roger went to college at Panhandle State College in Goodwell, Oklahoma, for a year before transferring to the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, where he earned a degree in fisheries and wildlife. Roger worked in the forestry industry his whole career as a sale administrator, marking and cruising timber, and in range management. He started his career at Walden, Colorado, then moved to different jobs in Arkansas, Idaho, Washing-ton, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming.

Roger married his mail order bride, Joanne Laura Gurney, in Appleton, Maine, on Nov. 27, 1982. They started their family during their years in Washington, welcoming Rachel Alice, Lucas John, and Benjamin Isaac into the family. Roger finally settled and finished his career in Laramie, Wyoming, retiring after more than 30 years with the Forest Service.

After retiring, Roger served on the Laramie City Council. He always stayed involved in his church in all his many wanderings and was a leader for the Awanas and a chaplain for the Trucker’s Christian Chapel. He continued to enjoy hunting, fishing, camping and gardening for the rest of his life. He passed on his love of the outdoors and his faith to his family.

Roger and Joanne moved to Murr Creek near Marion, after his term on the Laramie City Council, to be closer to their daughter, Rachel, and her family. Roger and family built the cabin where he spent his final few years of life. While there, he enjoyed thinning some of the abundant trees on his place.

He was a faithful member of the Rocky Mountain Baptist church in Kalispell.

Roger is survived by his wife of 33 years, Joanne, and two children, Rachel and Micah Hunter of Kalispell, and Benjamin and Dana McKinley of Laramie, Wyoming; grandchildren, Finley Hunter and Jane McKinley; brothers, Les and Cindy McKinley of Parachute, Colorado, and David McKinley of Lamar, Colorado; and sister, Elaine, and Richard Ruth, of Boring, Oregon.

Roger was preceded in death by his son, Lucas John McKinley, and his parents.

The service will be at 11:30 a.m. today, April 14, at Rocky Mountain Baptist Church in Kalispell, with interment following at Glacier Memorial Gardens.