John McKimmey

John McKimmey, 80, of Cameron, died peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Sept. 25, 2020. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease for several years.

Raised in West Texas, he entered the army as a young man, serving in Germany and later in Vietnam. Following his discharge, he started a lifetime career working for Bell Telephone in Tacoma, Wash., Austin, and later in Cameron. While in Tacoma, he met his wife, Linda, and they began their 47-year-long marriage. They moved to Texas, camping in a 1969 VW camper van along the way. They settled in Cameron, and raised their two daughters there.

His interests were varied as his talents. He was a consummate consumer of music and books. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of music from the 1940’s up until the Rolling Stones, particularly obscure blues artists from the 40’s and 50’s.

Where other men might seek gold or treasure, he sought out books. Hundreds and hundreds of books —old books, new books and always non-fiction. He rarely passed a junk shop or thrift store without going in and searching for titles he hadn’t read. He knew where every book was in his bookshelves, and what was in them. He loved to talk about history and was a true student, always learning.

He was a talented woodworker, mechanic and restorer of old lamps and clocks. He loved making broken things whole again, and was creative in every thing he did. His mind worked that way—make it work and make it beautiful. He passed this skill on to his family members with patience and kindness. He also passed on a wonderful sense of humor, since he saw something funny about almost everything.

In addition, he loved cars that would go fast. As a teenager, he was a hot-rodder, putting a small block Chevy engine in a 1940 Ford coupe and burning up the highways in West Texas. Throughout his life, he always had a car that would go fast, and he enjoyed driving them that way when the road was clear and dry.

The greatest joy of his life was his family. He and Linda were true partners in life, going through hardships and challenges with a quiet strength and good humor, always together. He was more proud of his two daughters, Jennifer and Sarah, than anything in his life, and prouder still as their families grew.

He loved to teach his children and grandchildren not only the practical aspects of life such as how to build a catapult or find a snake or a certain bug in the flowerbed, but how to treat people with respect and caring. Their lives are a testament to his life as a father and grandfather more than anything else.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; daughters, Jennifer Gouge and husband Brad, and Sarah Mandella and husband Bryan; three grandchildren, Katelyn and Brayden Gouge and Benjamin Mandella; and two brothers, Jim and Jerry McKimmey; and several nieces and nephews.

No observance is planned. His family appreciates your thoughts and prayers.