Thomas Roy McKinnon's Obituary
Biography
Dr. Thomas Roy McKinnon, known to most as TMac, passed away on Friday, August 10, 2018 at Willard Walker Hospice Home surrounded by his family. He was born April 4, 1935 in New Hope Arkansas to Lettie Grace and Harvey Gratis McKinnon.
Tom’s purpose in this world was to teach. He completed his bachelor’s degree in history at Southern Arkansas University. There he married his wife Frances. After serving as military police for the Army in New Jersey, Tom returned to school in Arkansas and while teaching junior high history and completed his Masters degree in Economics. With a wife and 3 young children, Tom moved to Mississippi and earned his Doctorate in Economics. That degree led him to Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas where he became the founding director of the Bessie Moore Center for Economic Education. His tenure at the U of A included leadership roles in teaching, research, curriculum development, and service on his journey to becoming Emeritus University Professor. Tom taught thousands of future teachers and business students as well as many educators throughout Arkansas and Eastern Europe. All respected his knowledge, professionalism, sense of humor and sincere interest in them.
Tom embraced life and all the experiences it entails. He played on the Dismal Science baseball team and championed the annual Walton College Dead Day Float on the Buffalo River. He ran three marathons; played basketball; took annual hiking excursions with colleagues and his son Alex; hiked to Machu Pichu, the Grand Canyon, and the Camino De Santiago; cruised the South Pacific; taught in Italy three semesters, England and Turkey one semester, and on a ship for a semester at sea twice – sailing around the world accompanied by his wife.
Tom was a great storyteller. He used this ability to entertain his children and their children with stories about his childhood, his dog “Old Dan,” and Creeping Covers. Storytelling was also his style of teaching.
After retirement, Tom began to write those stories about his childhood and McKinnon ancestors who fought in the Civil War. He completed and published, for his family, his life story, Footprints In The Sand. He even took an art class so he could illustrate one of his books. Tom’s children, grand and great grandchildren all share his passion for learning, traveling and experiencing life. He hiked, climbed, floated and jogged around the globe, including an ancestral journey to the Isle of Skye, the origin of the McKinnon clan. There was always something new to learn or experience. Between his travels, Tom found great happiness in a day spent cooking-out on the deck with his wife, all the family and his dog Lucy.
Tom is survived by his wife of 60 years, Frances; two daughters, Laura Harrison and her husband Rick of Russellville, Lisa Wilson and her husband Craig of Bella Vista; one son, Alex McKinnon of Lowell; two granddaughters, Sarah Garlow and her husband Tim of Fort Smith, and Jenny Loop and her husband Kory of Russellville; six great grandchildren, Anna Garlow, Ellen Garlow, Harrison Garlow, Ryder Loop, Harper Loop, and Karsyn Loop.
Cremation under the direction of Moore’ Chapel.
The Funeral is set for 11am on Friday, August 17, at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville. Burial will be at Fairview Memorial Gardens at 2pm.
Memorials may be made to the Bessie Moore Center for Economic Education in care of the University of Arkansas Foundation.
What’s your fondest memory of Thomas?
What’s a lesson you learned from Thomas?
Share a story where Thomas' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Thomas you’ll never forget.
How did Thomas make you smile?