Vernon McKee

Survived by his wife, Eva Ruth Clark McKee, of the home, Mr. McKee retired in the late 1980s as a pastry chef at Broughton Hospital, where he had worked for 30 years with his surviving twin brother, Vinson McKee of Glen Alpine. Vernon attended First Assembly of God Morganton and was a former member of Valdese Church of God and Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church of Morganton.

A native of Columbus County, Mr. McKee was preceded in death by his parents, William McKee and Lucy Hobbs McKee of Clarkton; a sister, Kathleen Russ of Morganton; and two brothers, Lawrence McKee of Raleigh and James McKee of Morganton. In addition to his wife and twin brother, Mr. McKee is survived by a step-daughter, Timberley Gilliam Adams; two sisters, Emily Watkins of Oxford and Linda Pritchard of Morganton; another brother, Harold McKee of Morganton; and a number of nieces and nephews. Sisters-in-law Peggy Puett and Edith McKee, and friend Carolyn Malcolm were special caregivers.

Officiated by the Rev. John White and the Rev. Larry McKee, Mr. McKee’s funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. in the chapel at Advantage Kirksey Funeral Home of Morganton. The family will receive friends Friday from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Kirksey Funeral Home. Private inurnment will be held in Morganton’s Forest Hill Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690; or Southmountain Children and Family Services, P.O. Box 3387, Morganton, NC 28680.