Rebecca Knott McKinley

At a young age Rebecca "Becky" Knott McKinley responded to Jesus' invitation to follow Him and was his disciple (learner) until her death on March 18, 2024.

Rebecca was born on May 23, 1929, in the home of her parents, the late Lois Daniel Knott and Samuel Lee Knott, in Granville County, N.C. Approximately five minutes later her identical twin sister, Rosalind, joined her.

Growing up on a farm during the years of the great depression provided Rebecca, her sister and two brothers valuable life experiences as they worked in both home and field, engaged in creative and resourceful play, studied at Berea High School, participated in the community 4H Club, and worshipped at Enon Baptist Church. The teachings and activities of the church's age-level mission organizations had a profound impact on Rebecca's life, and by age sixteen she sensed God was calling her to be a cross-cultural missionary. During those formative years the love of parents, expressed more in sacrificial acts than words, caused her and her siblings to feel secure in a world of scarcity.

After completing her studies at Berea High School in 1948, Rebecca became a student at Meredith College. During the summers of her college years she did field work in western North Carolina for the Sunday School Department of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina. After graduating from Meredith in 1951 with a major in religion and related studies in philosophy and English, she continued her studies at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the WMU Training School in Louisville, Kentucky where she earned the Master of Religious Education degree.

While in Louisville Rebecca met Hugh Thomas McKinley, a seminary student from Miami, Florida. The two were married on May 24, 1953, and for 70 years shared a deep and abiding love and a relationship Rebecca described as "partners in love and ministry." That partnership took them first to Stetson University where Hugh was an instructor in the department of religion and Rebecca worked in the alumni office and birthed their first child. In 1955 they returned to the seminary in Kentucky where Hugh completed his doctoral dissertation and the couple served as "pastor and pastor's wife" at Magnolia Baptist Church. While there they welcomed a second daughter into their family.

After learning of the great need for personnel to train leaders for churches in other parts of the world and being reminded of Jesus' instruction "to make disciples of all nations" the couple decided to contact the Baptist Foreign Mission Board instead of returning to Stetson. The end result was that in September of 1958 they, along with their two young daughters, boarded a fifty passenger freighter headed to the east coast of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope. After a month on the small vessel they disembarked at Beira, Portuguese East Africa (now Mozambique) and journeyed inland to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). They studied the Chishona language and culture in the capital city for a year and then moved to the campus of the Baptist seminary located in the central part of the country near the town of Gwelo (the birth place of their son) where they ministered until their departure in 1994.

Although Rebecca's missionary career in Zimbabwe was limited to one geographical area, her ministry was far-reaching. She was a devoted wife and mother. She helped to train church leaders from six countries in Africa by serving as a seminary teacher, registrar, administrative secretary and leader of campus discipleship groups. Rebecca also ministered in the local churches, the local association of churches and national convention, and the mission organization. Additionally, she wrote and edited literature for use in the churches of eastern and southern Africa.

After returning to the United States in 1994, Rebecca and Hugh served as missionaries in residence at Stetson University and Campbell University followed by an exciting semester as adjunct professors in Campbell's newly established divinity school. The couple retired in Apex, NC where they became members of Woodhaven Baptist Church. During her years at Woodhaven, Rebecca served as a Sunday school teacher of preschoolers and adults, member of the missions committee, coordinator of Women on Mission, deacon and Stephen Minister. In the larger Baptist community she mentored women enrolled in Christian Women's Job Corps, served terms on the governing boards of WMU NC, BWIM NC and JourneyPartners (a nonprofit ministering in Zimbabwe). She accepted invitations from churches to preach at Sunday worship services where she proclaimed Jesus' instruction for his followers to "go make disciples of all nations" assuring them that Jesus would keep his promise to be with them.

During the centennial celebration of Meredith College in 1999, Rebecca and her twin sister, Rosalind Harrell, were two of the 100 alumnae recognized for career accomplishments and volunteer service. The two were also honored by author Beth Branyon who wrote a book for children, Willing Workers, based on their missionary service in Africa.

Rebecca was predeceased by her parents, her brothers, Pvt. Samuel Lee Knott, Jr. and Dr. Fred Nelson Knott, her twin sister, Rosalind Knott Harrell and brother in¬law, Rev. Ralph Harrell.

Survivors include her devoted husband, Rev. Dr. Hugh Thomas McKinley, and three children: Marsha Lynn McKinley of Durham, NC, Margaret Rose Fortenberry (Robert) of Clinton, MS, and Dr. Dale Thomas McKinley (Ferrial Adam) of Johannesburg, South Africa; sister-in-law, Janet Dotson Knott of Cary, NC; two granddaughters: Bethany Grace Cole (Daniel) of Clinton, MS and Charissa Lynn Kyman (Max) of Virginia Beach; three great grandsons: August Samuel Cole, Deacon James Cole and Jack Kyman; and six cherished nieces and nephews and their spouses.

The family expresses sincere appreciation to Jacobs and van Cleeff Internal Medicine and staff for their excellent and dedicated medical care provided Rebecca and to the staff of Heartland Hospice

A service of the worship of God remembering Rebecca's life will be conducted at Woodhaven Baptist Church (4000 Kildaire Road, Apex, NC) on Monday, March 25, 2024 at 2:00pm, with a reception following.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to honor the deceased may contribute to Journey Partners, PO Box 1595, Severna Park, MD 21146, a non-profit ministering in Zimbabwe (refer to website, www,journeypartners.net). Contributions will serve Kutenda Children's Home with 25 children and 5 caregivers and help support Zimbabwe Theological Seminary (ZTS), an Affiliate of the Great Zimbabwe University Religion Department.