Barbara McKinney

BARBARA S. McKINNEYBarbara peacefully passed on to a new life on October 1, 2012 after battling Parkinson's disease for the past five years. Barbara Ellen Salmon was born on January 2, 1936 in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Morton and Nelle Salmon. She grew up in Fort Dodge and then attended Iowa State University where she met her future husband, David, during her freshman year. She graduated with a degree in home economics and accepted a teaching position at North Babylon, Long Island to be able to visit David while he completed his degree at the United States Military Academy. On June 14, 1959, David and Barbara were married in Fort Dodge. For the next four years, Barbara taught in Virginia, Alabama, and Hawaii when David's military assignments changed. Barbara taught in the Boston School System and at Waltham High School, while David attended Harvard Business School. Barbara and David started their family while David began his professional career, working at the University of Iowa. The family moved from Iowa to South Dakota, Indiana and then Idaho. Barbara stepped back from teaching while Michael and Katherine were young, resuming teaching as a substitute as the children were older. Barbara went back into full-time teaching at Palouse-Garfield High School in Palouse, WA teaching home economics classes while David worked at the University of Idaho. Barbara and David moved to New Mexico when David accepted a position at the University of New Mexico, and Barbara accepted a teaching appointment at New Futures School, an APS Alternative School for Parenting and Pregnant Teens where she taught for 12 years. The challenges of meeting each state's different teaching certification requirements seemed overwhelming at times, but she always felt rewarded by having the opportunity to be in the classroom. She loved young people and had a way of connecting with them with compassion. Many years after she retired, former students would still come up and give her a big hug and thank her for her positive impact on their lives. She cherished the friendships she had with her co-teachers and staff. In retirement, many of them became even more important to her. Above all of her professional successes, Barbara never lost sight of what she considered her primary life's mission - her family and raising her two children. She felt her greatest accomplishments in life would be measured in the happiness, success and achievements of her family, her children and their children. Preceding in death were her parents, Morton and Nelle Salmon and her granddaughter, Abby Elizabeth Creagan. Surviving Barbara are David, her husband of 53 years; her son, Michael McKinney and wife Lisa of Kennewick, WA; daughter, Katherine Creagan and husband Scott of Albuquerque; granddaughters, Meagan and Lauren McKinney of Kennewick; grandson, Matthew Creagan; and granddaughter, Grace Creagan of Albuquerque. Also surviving is Barbara's sister, Mary Gourley of Dallas and her family; as well as David's two brothers and two sisters. Barbara was loved by many and will be missed by all who knew her. The family is extremely grateful for the loving care provided by the Presbyterian Home HealthCare physicians, nurses and therapists and the caregivers with Home Instead Senior Care. Cremation has taken place. There will be a Memorial Service celebrating her life on Monday, October 8, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Sandia Presbyterian Church, 10704 Paseo Del Norte NE, Albuquerque, 87122. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to a charity of the donor's choice.