The Reverend Barbara Jean McKinney

The Reverend Barbara Jean McKinney (Anderson), 80, passed away on Sunday, July 10, 2016. She was surrounded by her husband and all four of her children.

Jean was born on October 25, 1935 in Des Moines, Iowa, the fifth child of Swedish immigrants Fred and Emily Anderson. Raised in northeast Des Moines’ “Snusville”, she attended Cattell Elementary, Warren Harding Junior High, and graduated from Des Moines East High School in 1954. She attended Iowa Lutheran School of Nursing, fulfilling her lifelong goal of becoming a Registered Nurse in 1957. She began her nursing career as a pediatric nurse in the office of Dr. Lee Forest Hill.

While raising her family, Jean was a full-time parent and was very active in the Des Moines community including leadership roles in: Des Moines Women’s Club, Friends of IPTV, PEO, Questers, and the League of Attorney’s Wives. Additionally, she served as PTA president for multiple schools, led Camp Fire Girls and Cub Scouts, served on church vestries, and participated in countless other volunteer activities. Jean was honored with several awards including being inducted into the East High Hall of Fame, 100 Great Iowa Nurses, and the Des Moines Area Religious Council Service Award.

After her children were all in school, she resumed her full-time career by working at the Arthritis Foundation in various capacities. Thereafter Jean graduated from the first class of the Certified Parish Nurse Program at Iowa Lutheran Hospital. She then served as a Parish Nurse at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Des Moines for 25 years, where she created a successful health ministry program – combining her passions of spirituality and patient care.

Jean further pursued her spiritual calling. She was ordained to the Diaconate in the Episcopal Church in 1993 and was ordained to the Priesthood in 2010. She served at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Des Moines as Priest Associate, and more recently at Trinity Episcopal-Presbyterian Church in Park Rapids, Minnesota where she gave her last sermon on July 3, 2016 with her family present.

Jean married John Franklin McKinney, Jr. in 1960. They were blessed with four children: Karin, Kristin, Robert, and John III. Some of her favorite things included spending time with family at her lake home on Long Lake in Park Rapids, Minnesota, antiquing, and traveling. She dedicated her life to her family and to ministering to others. Jean had boundless comfort, compassion and kindness, and will be missed tremendously by all who knew her.

Beloved wife, mother, and friend, Jean is survived by her husband of 55 years, John; daughters, Karin (Todd) Hansen of Houston, TX and Kristin (Peter) Joo of New York City, NY; sons, Dr. Robert (Heather) McKinney of Clive, IA and John III (Julie) McKinney of Des Moines, IA; 13 grandchildren, Kayla, Emily, and Tyler Hansen, Jimmy and Danny Sanchez, Cindy, Andy, and Benny Joo, Alyssa, Evan, and Lili McKinney, and Maggie and Rosemary McKinney; as well as many other loving family members.

Jean is preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Helen Hunter and Eleanor Hagen; and brothers, Walter Anderson and Dr. Robert Anderson.

The family will host a visitation on Friday, July 15, 2016 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway in West Des Moines. A Celebration of Life and Holy Communion will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at 10:30 AM at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul located at 815 High Street in downtown Des Moines with burial at Glendale Cemetery in Des Moines. A memorial service will be held in Park Rapids, MN at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Episcopal-Presbyterian Church in Park Rapids, Minnesota, the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Des Moines, Iowa, or the Arthritis Foundation. Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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