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Elise J McKinnie
April 27, 1936 ~ March 3, 2020 (age 83)
Elise Jenkins Jones-Mckinnie, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 in her home while surrounded by family in Grand Junction TN. She was born in Hickory Valley TN, to the late Dan Patterson and Gertrude Jenkins (Will Jenkins) on April 27, 1936.
Her funeral service was held on Saturday March 14, 2020 at 12:00 noon at Hopewell MBC-Grand Junction with Reverend Robert D. Poplar in charge. Burial was in the church cemetery and Dixie Funeral Home (www.dixiefuneralhome.com) was in charge of the professional service.
She truly lived life fully though simply by chatting with friends, counting cars, loving her family, snacking with a Pepsi, smoking her cigarettes, and nicknaming her grandchildren.
She was educated in Prospect Public School where she was a skilled basketball player. She was an outgoing student who developed life-time friendships with many of her classmates.
Mrs. Elise confessed a hope in Christ at a very early age and joined the Hopewell M.B. Church; where she served faithfully for many years as an usher, a church mother, a kitchen committee teammate, and church secretary. She had a servant’s heart and was always ready for ministry. She later join New Abundant Faith Ministries and served on the mother board and intercessory prayer team until her health failed!
Mrs. Elise, affectionately known as Mother McKinnie, was a beloved life-long resident of the Hardeman Co. community. She was one of the first members of the NAACP Chapter in Bolivar TN. She was a member of the O.E.S. Chapter and served as the O.E.S. secretary in Grand Junction TN. She was life-time member of the local “Good Shepherd” organization in Grand Junction.
Mrs. Elise was a true worshiper. She had a groove only her feet could handle, when it was time to give God praise. She was a member of the gospel singing group The Roaring 20’s. She was passionate about supporting, serving and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mother Mckinnie entered the workforce after being widowed at a young age. She worked as a maid while raising five children. She was a single parent during a time when this wasn’t common. Despite these struggles, she always provided a loving and warm home for her children. Mrs. Elise worked various jobs throughout her young life. She started working as a maid and babysitter, while picking cotton; displaying a wonderful knack for solving problems and making ends meet! She later worked at Tennessee Foods in Rossville, TN. She found her place at Harman Automotive Inc. in Bolivar TN, where she worked for twenty- seven years and retired.
Predeceased by her first husband, Robert B. Jones, her second husband, Edward Mckinnie, and her oldest son Bobby Jones; Mrs. Elise is survived by her: five sons and two daughters: Willie (Linda) Jones, Ricky Jones, of Grand Junction TN, Billy (Charlene) Jones, of Hickory TN, Garry (Gloria) Jones, of Whiteville TN, Dennis Jones Of Davenport FL; her two daughters: Etta (Lee) Anderson, Rita Jones Dudley, of Grand Junction TN; her nephew-son Joseph Jenkins, and James Polk of Grand Junction TN: her brothers and sisters: Lemon Patterson, Sally Patterson, Martha (Clarence) Malone, Dan( Tonya) Patterson, of Memphis TN, Lottie Baskerville Winston, of Winston TN, Ray Lee Patterson, Russie Patterson, of Macon TN, and Chilie Patterson of Denver Colorado, plus 26 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, one great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, co-workers, and friends.
When responding to the words I Love You, Mrs. Elise always said “I love you more”. She often admonished: “Remember to love ye one another” and if you don’t have nothing good to say, don’t say nothing at all!” She was a firm believer in humanity who encouraged small acts of kindness within the world. She was the one and only, Elise Jenkins Jones-Mckinnie, 83, a mother, a grandmother an aunt and a sister.
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