Obituary: Mckinney, Lynn Evan
Age 63
He spent his last days at Spokane Hospice House surrounded by family and friends.
He was 63.
Lynn was born November 3, 1950, in Pasadena, CA.
He grew up in Whittier, where he graduated from California High School in 1968.
He then went to Rio Hondo College, where he excelled as a baseball pitcher and was named MVP.
He was a first round draft pick with both the Oakland A’s and the Boston Red Sox, but Lynn decided to continue his education at the University of California at Santa Barbara before pursuing his baseball career.
He signed with the Kansas City Royals in 1973 and played minor league baseball for seven seasons, including a AAA season with the Spokane Indians in 1978.
After graduating with honors from Gonzaga School of Law in 1985, Lynn began his second career as an attorney.
He worked in private practice before finding his calling as a public defender, helping parents reform their lives so they could be reunited with their children.
He advocated for society’s most vulnerable with a tenacity that was equaled by few.
Lynn was married to Christine (Anderson) Dedmon, the mother of his two children, from 1971 to 1996.
She remained his good friend through his final days.
Lynn met his wife, Patricia (Knispel Andre) in 1996 and they married in Spokane in May of 1999.
They enjoyed vacationing in Kauai and the recreation afforded by living on Liberty Lake.
They found pleasure in hiking, riding bikes, and especially spending time on their pontoon boat with Duckie, their rescue puppy.
Lynn is remembered with love by his wife Patricia McKinney; children Laura (Larry) McGill and Matt (Renee) McKinney; step-children Bob and Jill Andre; grandchildren Hailey and Sara McGill, and Joey, Jaden, and Ella McKinney; mother Lois McKinney; sisters Michelle (Bob) Hall, Jeannette (Kolin) Hand, and Kathleen McKinney; his beloved dog Duckie, and numerous other family members and friends.
He is predeceased by his father, Evan McKinney.
Lynn’s exuberant personality was loved by so many.
Those whose lives he touched will forever remember the joy and passion with which he lived every day.
Lynn’s family would like to thank all the wonderful people from Hospice of Spokane for the extraordinary care given to Lynn in his final months.
Donations may be made in his name by visiting HospiceofSpokane.org or by mail to Hospice of Spokane, P.O.
Box 2215, Spokane, WA 99210 in honor of Lynn McKinney.
A celebration of Lynn’s life will take place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, September 4, 2014, in the chapel at Heritage Funeral Home.