George Burton McKinley
Marriages
Harriett "Sunny" McKinley
Carol Russell McKinley
Obituaries
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 3D Obituary - June 21, 2015
George B. McKinley
September 25, 1927 - June 12, 2015
George Burton McKinley
passed away on June 12,
2015. He was 87 years old.
George was born in
Riverside, Illinois on
September 25, 1927 to George
Arthur and Olga Marie
McKinley. He attended
Riverside High School.
Turning down a scholarship to
Northwestern University he
enlisted in the Navy becoming a Navy pilot during World War
II. George went to Boulder, Colorado for flight school and fell
in love with the state.
After marrying Harriett "Sunny" McKinley, they first moved to
Denver and subsequently to Boulder where he matriculated to
the University of Colorado Business School and graduated.
George believed in America and took pride in his country,
especially the West. In reflecting back on his life, he was an
Explorer, Entrepreneur and Endower. He thoroughly enjoyed
meeting people and his friends came from all different walks of
life.
He loved exploring the outdoors by taking country roads,
fishing, hunting, skiing and always looking for the next
adventure. He was equally content to be in the desert or alpine
peaks, finding beauty in both.
He was an entrepreneur in his soul. He started his career at the
Central Bank in Denver and then was a bank officer in Boulder.
At 27, he moved his family to Glenwood Springs, Colorado to
buy the First National Bank. He subsequently chartered six
banks on the Western Slope, eventually selling them to a larger
bank holding company, Central Bank, which he then went on to
run for several years before retiring. Soon after retirement, he
realized he was not ready to leave the banking industry and
purchased a bank in Evanston, Wyoming. Over a period of
years he again accumulated a series of banks in southwest
Wyoming and sold them in 2008 after 52 years in banking. He
took great pride that his banks served and helped these rural
communities grow in both Colorado and Wyoming. He served
on the Public Service of Colorado Board of Directors and also
owned a large ranch in Western Colorado for a number of years.
He felt strongly about how important it is to give back to his
community. George and Harriett McKinley were founding
members of the Western Colorado Community Foundation and
established endowment funds for education and health in
Colorado. He later established an endowment with his second
wife, Carol McKinley, at the Wyoming Community Foundation.
He also anonymously supported many institutions and colleges
in Wyoming and Colorado; his philanthropy will support local
organizations in perpetuity.
George had four children, Thomas G. McKinley (Janet), living
in San Francisco, California; Richard S. McKinley (Carolyn),
living in Palisade, Colorado; Robert D. McKinley who
predeceased him; and Ann M. Gianinetti (Mark) living in
Carbondale, Colorado. "Papa George" felt great joy and
tenderness with his ten grandchildren, Maitt (predeceased),
Mandelyn, Chelci, Sara, Jason, Thomas, Kathryn, Kade, Hattie
and Megan. He has one great-granddaughter, McKinley. George
helped raise his first wife’s two younger siblings, Karen Jane
Cowan, living in Aurora, Colorado, and Neil Thompson
(predeceased). He is survived by his brother, Bill McKinley,
who is living in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. His marriage to
Harriett "Sunny" ended in a divorce and she predeceased him.
George was then married to his second wife, Carol Russell
McKinley and she predeceased him in 2010.
George’s favorite expression was "So Be It". He conveyed "his
expectations" in just a few simple words and you knew exactly
what was meant. George was that "bigger than life" person and
made you feel that he was going to live forever.
He will be missed dearly.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks that donations be
given in his name to any organization of your preference that
will make a difference to someone.
