Gregory Edward McKinney

Mr. Gregory Edward McKinney of East Point, GA, passed April 16, 2019.  Funeral service will be held on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 at 1 p.m. at Friendship Baptist Church, 80 Walnut St., SW, Dr. Richard W. Wills, Sr., Pastor, Reverend Caroline Terry, officiating, Dr. Charles Albert Harper, III., officiating.  The remains will be placed in state at the church at 12 noon.

On Valentine's Day, February 14, 1952 at McLendon Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, Gregory Edward McKinney made his debut into this life. The second son of Billy McKinney and Melba Moore Carter he entered a proud and educated family. This alert, inquisitive little boy with the bright eyes and warm smile would grow into an intelligent, vibrant and social young man who commanded attention. Gregory thrived growing up in a close-knit neighborhood of friends and neighbors who admired his exuberance and curiosity. Following his formative years at English Avenue Elementary School, Gregory entered the iconic Booker T. Washington High School. There he made life-long friends and was voted the superlative, Most Talkative, his senior year, a fitting tribute to his oratory skills. After graduating from Booker T. Washington, in the fall of 1970, Gregory entered Morehouse College. There he would major in Business Administration and develop the gift of his singing voice as a member of the Morehouse College Glee Club. He would be a life-long singer and lover of all genres of music. Following his junior year at Morehouse, Gregory won a competitive internship and spent a summer at Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. While there is also studied at the University of Cincinnati. Gregory was the quintessential Morehouse Man; well- spoken, well-traveled, well-dressed, well-informed and he deeply loved his Alma Mater. He graduated from Morehouse College in 1974, with honors, and was accepted into the graduate program in Health Administration at Georgia State University, becoming the first African American to complete the Master's in Health Administration Program. Following a noteworthy career in Health Administration as an Assistant Administrator at Southwest Community Hospital, faculty member at Meharry Medical College, Chief Epidemiologist at the Georgia Department of Human Resources and Program Director at Georgia Medicaid Agency, Gregory retired early and settled into a well-earned and comfortable life as a youthful retiree. He spent his time with his beloved mother, family and friends and contributed his voice to the choir at his home church, the historic Friendship Baptist Church. He also became an avid social-media devotee and developed a wide group of friends and colleagues with whom he discussed politics, health care, history and the state of Black America. Gregory was a fiercely proud and unapologetic Atlanta native and he knew his city and loved it unconditionally. Although he had favorite cities, New York, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Budapest, Atlanta was his home and it was in Atlanta that he lived and flourished. Gregory was a gentleman and moved with grace and style that announced he was a man of substance. Although this grace came naturally, he always gave Morehouse College credit for developing it. Gregory lived his life passionately and joyously. He traveled the world, loved his furs and diamonds, cared deeply for his family and was a loyal friend. He had strong opinions and was not afraid to correct you if you were uninformed or out of order and he loathed ignorance. The world is dimmer because Gregory's light is no longer in it. Those who loved him are left to marvel at the gift of having him in our lives. The significance of a life is measured by those who are left to mourn a passing. Gregory leaves his mother, Melba Moore Carter, his step-mother,

Leola McKinney; his brother, James McKinney, his sisters, Cynthia McKinney and Kim L. Bradley, his nieces, Lauren McKinney, Morgan McKinney, Kayla L. Romeo, Kierra L. Bradley and Kamarin N. Bradley, his nephew, Gabriel Bradley, his sister-in-law, Janice McKinney and brother-friends, a host of life long and loving sister friends and brother friends. Heaven, prepare to be enthralled. Brother Gregory Edward McKinney is in your midst.