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Recognizing community contributions:
Tributes to Dr. George and Monica McKinney
Spencerport Coincidentally with your fine tribute to Doctor McKinney I am sorting through old photographs of our family and farm. One picture happens to include two of Doc’s larger animal patients. Doc treated our team of draft horses and the three or four cows we usually had, all during the years he cared for large animals. The horse on the left in the picture was named Bill and was the first horse my father bought. He was headstrong and very quickly threw anyone who ever tried to ride him. Properly handled, Bill was a good draft horse but had a tendency to develop colic. Generally these attacks occurred in late evening. My father Joe’s first response efforts were home remedies, primarily walking the horse. Doc came into play when after two or more hours of walking there was no sign of improvement in Bill’s condition. Often this was around midnight or later. Nevertheless, my mother, Anna, was told to call Doc McKinney, who always responded promptly and cheerfully. My first memories of him were on such late night occasions during the 1940s. Apparently Doc had good medicine because Bill always recovered and in fact outlived three or four other horses he was teamed with over 22 years. Doc never forgot those visits either. A few years ago when I was in his office with my dog, Doc reminisced a bit and asked “Joe, what was the name of that big black horse your folks had?” Thanks, Doc, for your many years of pleasant and professional service and to you and Monica for being good citizens of our community. Edward P. McKinney I understand that a tribute to Dr. George and Monie McKinney is being prepared for the many years they have devoted to the community, as well as the practice of Veterinary Medicine that George so faithfully and successfully maintained over the years. I am a cousin to Dr. George and have known him and his family all of my life. I have also known Monie’s family, the Morgans, for many, many years as well. Both Monie and George have worked hard to accomplish all of their successes in life. Following high school, George attended and graduated from a local college, at the same time working a business he had started out of his home. He was an outstanding student and uppermost in all of his classes, both at Spencerport High School and at Cornell University where he earned his degree in Veterinary Medicine. Upon graduating from high school, Monie went on to college and earned her degree in the field of nursing. What a great team they made in understanding medicine and the needs of others. Monie and George are proud parents of a son, Dr. Ralph McKinney, who grew up in Spencerport, also going to college earning his doctor’s degree. Ralph’s wife, Barbara, also grew up in Spencerport. They, along with their family, settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota where Dr. Ralph McKinney has his practice. Many people in the Spencerport area have contributed and maintained a constant interest in the welfare of the community and certainly Dr. George and Monie McKinney are uppermost in that group. I am indeed proud to be related to them. Eleanor and I extend our thanks and gratitude to George and Monie for a “Job Well Done,” and best wishes for a most deserved retirement. Mr. and Mrs. William Kane III My husband, William, and I have known “Doc” McKinney since 1975. He took care of all the family’s pets with such caring. Years later we had a seven month stray cat who adopted us. Whenever I went into various rooms of our home, he seemed to appear - crying. We took him in and were delighted with his ability to not only fetch and return, but he could bat it back quite regularly. Our joy turned to heartbreak two years later. We took him to Doc. He was very sick - his kidneys. We reluctantly left “Cat” (from “Breakfast at Tiffanys”). For a full week Doc did everything - when he got weaker, “Doc” even got out his white ferret to get a “rise” out of “Cat” and Doc eventually had to call us and said it was time. He was so gentle and caring. Doc found an unusually large kidney stone. We thank him for being the best. We’ll miss you. Good luck. Ray and Betty Spencer We wish Dr. McKinney the best in his well deserved retirement. We - and our cat, Mickey - hoped he would be in business as long as Mick needed him. Dr. McKinney has kept Mick going for almost twenty years so far. Additionally, Doc administered care to our two sheep dogs, and earlier cats. He’s been a great friend to us and our animals. Thanks to all who submitted letters |
