Frances Sealy McKinney

Frances McKinney, age 98, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on November 12, 2026.

Her funeral will be held on Tuesday November 17, 2026, at Embry Hills United Methodist Church. The service will start at 11:00 am, but the family will receive visitors starting at 10:00 am in the lobby of the sanctuary.

Frances Sealy was born on August 28,1928, in Juniper, Georgia to Wyatt and Maude Sealy. She talked fondly of her childhood in Howard, Georgia, as an only child who had a deep bond with her mother, the postmaster of the small, rural community.

She completed nurse's training at Macon Hospital, paid for by the Army Corp. - but only if she agreed to work for one year in a military hospital. World War II ended before she had to serve.

However, her medical training paid off in other ways. While working as a nurse at Emory hospital, she agreed to go on a blind date with Larry McKinney, who was also attending Emory as a student. That date sparked a great love story, and the two were happily married for 64 years.

Frances' life was full of hobbies and interests that brought her joy. She loved gardening, and her backyard was always lush with blooms. Frances was an avid reader and a great writer who documented her travels with poems and wrote letters to her family and friends. She rarely missed her weekly bridge club meeting, and only stopped when she was the last remaining member. She loved to travel, but she especially looked forward to annual trips to her favorite Daytona beach. Her caramel cake was often the first to go at every bake sale.

She found great meaning in her church, where she was a member of the United Women in Faith group and delivered baby blankets to new mothers. She was a member of Embry Hills United Methodist Church for 63 years, joining only two years after it opened its doors.

Above all, Frances was a fiercely independent woman who always found a way to make things special. She was warm and caring, a listening ear for family and friends. She could make you laugh with her quick wit, and her home was always welcoming, warm, and full of memories.

She is survived by her loving family, including her children Carol Rossie and Larry McKinney, Jr.; her grandchildren Amanda Barroso, Christy Matthews, Justin McKinney, Cecily Burns, and Colton Karrantza; and her great-grandchildren Aidan Barroso, Garrett Barroso, Izzy Matthews, Teagan McKinney, Adam McKinney, Skylar Burns, Kosta Karrantza, and Kylo Karrantza.

While we know Frances has been made fully whole in the next life, we will miss her forever in this one. Her memory will live on in all the lives she has touched.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Embry Hills United Methodist Church at 3304 Henderson Mill Road, Atlanta, Georgia, 30341.