MCKINLEY, Cameron (Cam) Keith

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Sunday, November 10, 2013 Cameron Keith McKinley Many longtime Prescott residents will be saddened by news of the death of Dr. Cameron Keith McKinley, former Chief of Psychology at the Prescott VA Medical Center (1981 - 1996). Dr. McKinley died at his home in Evergreen, Colo., on the morning of Oct. 11, 2013, surrounded by his family and the beautiful pine-forested mountains filled with the many birds and animals he enjoyed watching. He was born on Dec. 9, 1930, in Shreveport, La., to William Samuel McKinley Sr. and Goldia Simmons McKinley. He attended Louisiana Tech University and Centenary College and received a B.A. degree. He earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Houston. Dr. McKinley completed an internship and residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, where he stayed on for another six years in clinical practice. For the next nine years, he and his family lived in Wiesbaden, Germany, during which time he established a Child & Family Treatment program at the U.S. Air Force Hospital. From there, the next assignment and home was Prescott, Ariz. He was honored by many veterans organizations, among them the U.S. Army Reserve for his support of active military, veterans and their families, and for establishing a 24-hour information center, teams of support groups, a successful fundraising event, and a veterans mental health and rehabilitation center. He received the Military Order of the Purple Heart for exceptionally meritorious and conspicuous service to his community, fellow citizens and veterans. He was recognized by Vietnam Veterans of America as a charter member of Chapter 95 in Prescott, acknowledging his dedicated efforts on their behalf. Cam volunteered at the National Vietnam Wall in Washington from 1997-1998, and also at the VA Hospital in Prescott for the Veterans History project and at the Vet Center that he established. In 2012, after letters and urging from the community, U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar introduced House Resolution 1743, a bill that would name the Veteran Affairs Vet Center in Prescott the Dr. Cameron K. McKinley Vet Center. Rep. Gosar introduced this bill to honor a groundbreaking health provider and true hero. It passed in the House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate because federal buildings are only named after someone who has died. Efforts to name the Vet Center in honor of Dr. McKinley will be renewed in the near future by those who knew him and respected his deep commitment to our military veterans. Dr. McKinley married Anne Hinton McKinley April 9, 1955. He is survived by his wife; his daughter Carol; his son, John, and their spouses, Mark Harris and Mary McKinley; his grandchildren, Adam and Paige Roberts, Jeremy and Tim Lisby, and Cameron and Elizabeth McKinley; great-granddaughter Jillian Lisby; sister Nadine McKinley Runsick; nephews Alan and Joel Jessup; and niece Kristina McKinley Estes McKinley. His father, mother and brother, Bill, preceded him in death. His love of family was most important and brought him great peace toward the end of his life. Cam, as he was known to those close to him, loved canoeing, hiking, fishing - the great outdoors. He took pride and interest in his Scottish heritage. He read voraciously, wrote his memoirs and expressed his artistic talents through painting, calligraphy, and his passion, photography. He captured the beauty of nature through the lens of his camera. For those who knew Cam McKinley, his qualities of leadership, courage, humor and resilience stood out. He was generous of spirit, giving himself in service to others. We will remember his laugh and the twinkle in his eye. He will be missed by many and we are all better for having known him. The family suggests memorial donations be sent to the Intrepid Fallen Heroes fund (fallenheroesfund.org), or the Mount Evans Hospice Inc. for their outstanding and loving care, 3081 Bergen Park Drive, Evergreen, CO 80439. Information provided by survivors.