Robert Edwards McKinley

(Rob)

Rob was born in Chicago when the newspaper's front page chronicled the frigid temperatures which reached 7 degrees below zero on the 12th day of December 1962.  Although Rob was welcomed on a very cold day, he joined his mom, dad and sister in a warm home.  Rob always had a ready smile and many friends.  As a boy, he spent Sunday mornings as an altar boy for the children's service at church inspiring our very youngest Christians.  He also exceled in athletics and was never without a ball in his hand.  When he was perhaps 5 or 6, Rob was outside his grandparent's home trying to make a basket in a net set at regulation height, and none of us thought he would make the basket.  He tried and tried and when he finally made it, his uncle said, "That's my nephew".  The family moved to Spring, Texas when Rob was 9 and he continued to participate in any sport that he could.  He outran all his classmates in elementary school races, and also competed in Kick, Pass and Punt competitions in Houston where he placed first for two consecutive years and second in his third year of competition.

His real passion, however, was baseball.  He was a pitcher from a very early age and his mother recounts an occasion when he was 8 years old and on the mound.  Before making a pitch, he smiled at her in the stands and waved.  As he grew, he continued pitching and played in the Spring-Klein Baseball leagues and on was on teams that participated in regional and state tournaments.  He also was on the Klein High School Varsity Baseball team.  After graduating from high school, Rob umpired for the league that taught him about baseball.

Rob graduated with a degree in psychology, and was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity at East Texas State University. (Now known as Texas A&M University at Commerce)  He followed his father by entering a career in insurance and worked in several facets of the industry.  During this time, his passion for baseball was replaced by his adoration for his "girls", Katie, Emilie and Sara.

Rob adored his three beautiful daughters, and could be found playing games, blowing bubbles or just being with them whenever he could.  This included times when one of the girls stayed home from school, and if she felt up to it he would sneak her out to see a movie.  Action movies were his favorites and he introduced them to James Bond and Jurassic Park.  He also loved A Christmas Story, and even predicted that it would "become a classic someday".  Rob instituted movie nights and played tie-breaker when there was a disagreement between his daughters.  One other thing Rob enjoyed, was watching light shows from the garage during a thunderstorm. The girls were only invited to this show, however, when he deemed it safe.  One thing that it is safe to say, however, is that his daughters were always in his thoughts and prayers.  They were his pride and joy.

Rest in Peace.

Rob is survived by his three daughters, Katie McKinley, Emilie Covert, and Sara McKinley, his mother Grace McKinley, and his sister Karen Head.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to either the American Heart Association or Tiny Paws Rescue.