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Elizabeth S. “Betty” McKinley, of Hornell

HORNELL-Elizabeth S. “Betty” McKinley, 93, formerly of Rockwell St., Hornell, died Tuesday afternoon (January 17, 2017) at Unity Hospital in Rochester, following a brief illness.

Born in DuBois, PA on August 13, 1923, she was the daughter of Andrew & Anna (Seroski) Stachow.

Betty grew up in Hornell and was a graduate of St. Ann’s School and Hornell High School (class of 1941). After passing the Civil Service Exam, she moved to Washington, DC on January 3, 1942 and began working at the Pentagon. For about four years she was employed as a secretary in the Office of General Staff headed by George C. Marshall, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Returning to Hornell in late 1945, she was employed for about 2 years in the bookkeeping department of F.A. Smith Manufacturing and later worked for several years as a bookkeeper for Booth & Steiner Accounting. In 1959 Betty began a “temporary” job at the Hornell City Chamberlain’s Office which ultimately became a permanent position as Account Clerk. She retired in 1986 following 27 years of service to the City of Hornell. Following her retirement, she served as secretary to the Hornell Civil Service Commission where she administered Civil Service Exams.

Betty was a member of Our Lady of the Valley Parish and a communicant of St. Ann’s Church. She was a member of the Ladies of Columbus; Women’s Auxiliary of St. James Hospital; Catholic Golden Age of Rochester and a former member of the Catholic Daughters of America. For many years, Betty was an active member of the Rochester Cursillo Movement and also served as a Eucharistic Minister to the homebound. She was an active volunteer for many organizations, including St. Ann’s School, St. James Hospital and the American Red Cross.

For many years, she was an associate of the Sisters of Mercy in Rochester. Along with her sister, Mary, she made concelebrated vestments for two parishes — the Immaculate Conception Church of Scranton, PA and also St. Paul’s Church in Annville, PA. They also made numerous vestments for many individual priests.

Betty was married on June 1, 1944 to Stephen McKinley who died in 1979. She was also preceded in death by her son, Kevin McKinley who died in 2010; her parents, Andrew & Anna Stachow; 3 brothers, Raymond Stachow, Frank Stachow and Joseph Stachow; 1 sister, Mary Herforth.

Surviving are 2 daughters, Janice (James) Dudley of Rochester and Kathleen Reach of Dunmore, PA; 11 grand-children; 29 great-grandchildren; several nieces & nephews.

The family of Elizabeth S. “Betty” McKinley will receive friends on Sunday from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church St., Hornell, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 PM on Monday at St. Ann’s Church with burial in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Betty’s family request that memorial contributions in her name be made to either St. Ann’s Church, 27 Erie Ave., Hornell, NY 14842 or St. Ann’s Academy, PO Box 446, Hornell, NY 14843. Memorial forms will be available at the Dagon Funeral Home.

To leave an online condolence or share a memory, visit www.dagonfuneralhome.com.


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