Ronald "Buck" McKinney

Ronald “Buck” McKinney passed away Sunday, July 19, 2020 at the Prestige Nursing Home where he has lived since November 2019.   Buck had endured a 22 year fight against Multiple Sclerosis, which caused many other health issues.   These health issues were ultimately exacerbated by the recent COVID outbreak in his facility. Services will be held when the COVID problem is behind us.  There is no way we will risk the lives of anyone until it is safe.

He was born February 8, 1949 in Coulee Dam, Washington to Roy and Dorothy McKinney.  The family later moved to the Des Moines, WA area where he attended school, graduating from Mt. Rainier High School in 1967.  He went to work right after school for Van Dusen Aircraft, then hired on to deliver furniture for the Bon Marche for the next 18 years.  He later worked for Superior Fast Freight, then Foss Maritime until disability from MS forced him to stop working in 2000.   

Buck met his wife Maureen in 1974.   They lived in the Burien area until 2003, when they moved to the Manastash area after building their dream home on their land in the canyon.

If you had to pick two things Buck loved most to do, it was play poker and fishing for salmon.  For years he would take his boat out almost every weekend on the Sound.  His family never gathered without a poker game and he met with friends regularly to play. He played football and baseball in high school, softball and bowling with his fellow Red Ryders later on.  He loved camping, hiking, hunting, working in the yard – almost anything you could do outside – and watching the Mariners.  He and Maureen and many, many friends were constantly exploring our beautiful state for new camping spots and fishing holes. 

Buck’s journey with MS was one filled with loss of function and disability, yet he rarely complained and made the most of his life. He was admired by many for the way he handled his illness. He was a quiet guy, but loved deeply and cherished the people in his life, whether he had known them 5 minutes or 70 years.  Even in his last days, he would ask about friends and family and was concerned more about them than his own problems.  His hugs were legendary.

He is survived by his wife of 38 years Maureen, brother Danny McKinney, sister Vicky Pike, in-laws Leonard & Paula Donlan, Danella Donlan and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and too many dear friends and neighbors to list here.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to The National MS Society, Greater Northwest Chapter, 192 Nickerson Street, Suite 100, Seattle, WA  98109 or a charity of your choice.

The picture above was from 1989 – wasn’t he a cutie?

Johnston & Williams Funeral Home and Crematory of Ellensburg has been entrusted with caring for Buck’s family.