Gerald McKinley

AMESVILLE - Gerald E. McKinley, 77, of Marion, formerly of Amesville, died Friday, March 11, 2011 at Partners of Marion with family by his side. He was born April 28, 1933 in Amesville to the late Pearl Ralph and Ruth Elizabeth Carrington McKinley. A 1951 graduate of Ames-Bern High School, he married Phyllis Bushong. He was a career military man who served the United States Army with singular distinction as a Noncommissioned Officer reaching the rank of Command Sergeant Major. After traveling around the globe and completing three combat tours in the Republic of Vietnam, he retired to his home in Amesville with twenty three years of honorable service. CSM McKinleychr(39)s awards and decorations include Expert Infantryman Badge, Vietnam Service Medal w/1 Silver Service Star, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Bronze Star Medal w/1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and "V& device, Combat Infantryman Badge, Army Commendation Medal w/1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, two Purple Hearts, Humanitarian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal (7th AWD), Air Medal (Num 2), Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation Badge w/Palm (2d AWD) and Legion of Merit. Upon retiring from the US Army, he worked as a Correctional Officer and a Correctional Counselor at the Hocking Correctional Facility in Nelsonville until his retirement in 1998. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis (Bushong) McKinley; a son, Terry (Brenda) McKinley of Mansfield; five daughters, Deborah Rodman of Marion, Rhonda (Ralph) Howes of Delaware, Christy (Bob) England of Glouster, Robin McKinley of California, Jennifer McKinley of California; eight grandchildren, Scott McKinley of Mansfield, Monica McKinley of Mansfield, Toby (Angie) Reiff of Marion, Chad Reiff of Marion, Heather Ward of Delaware, Holly Ward of Marion, Steven England of Murray City, Tiffany (Justin) Berwanger of Murray City; nine great grandchildren; and a brother, Ralph (Esther) McKinley of The Plains. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Robert McKinley; two sisters, Rosalie Kasler and Patty Withem. Services will be Tuesday at 1:00 PM at Hughes-Moquin Funeral Home with Eddie Vanbibber providing the eulogy and Pastor Michael Thomas officiating. Military services will be conducted by the ATHENS -merican Legion, ATHENS -FW and Albany VFW. Friends may call at the funeral home Tuesday from 11:00 AM until time of the service. Memorial contributions can be made to Vietnam Veterans of America, 8605 Cameron St., Suite 400, Silver Spring, MD 20910. You may send the family a message of sympathy at www.hughesmoquinfuneralhome.com.