Sandra was baptized at an early age at Zion Missionary Baptist Church. She worshipped under the leadership of Reverend Roosevelt Austin and later under Pastor Rodrick A. Smith. As a faithful servant of the Skipworth-Murphy Ministry and the Women's Prayer and Praise Ministry, she served the Lord wholeheartedly. For more than 30 years Sandra was a member of the Board of Directors at Wildfire Credit Union. She was also a lifelong member of the NAACP.
Educated in the Saginaw Public School System, Sandra graduated from Saginaw High School in 1962. She later attended Delta Community College where she majored in Accounting. She retired from Michigan Bell/AT&T in 1999 after 36 years of service as a Planning Engineer Manager.
Sandra was an avid camper and a member of the Pioneer's Telephone Campers Club where she was the first African American Colonel, as well as being a member of the Gateway Family Campers Club. In addition, Sandra was a Precinct Delegate and a member of the "Roman Red Down and Under" Red Hatters.
Sandra had many hobbies which included traveling the world with her partners, Lillie Hoggs, Bobbie McKinney and Elene Hall. She loved collecting greeting cards, baking and sharing the world's best Christmas sugar cookies, watching classic black & white movies, shopping, doting on her grandchildren and spending time with family and friends.
Sandra met and married Willie P. McKinney on September 14, 1963. To this union Pamela and Delores were born.
She leaves to cherish her memory: Husband Willie P. McKinney, daughters Pamela J. (Tracy) Parks, Commerce Township, Michigan and Delores L. McKinney, Columbia, Maryland; a goddaughter, Jenelle (John) Leavell, Sussex, Wisconsin; two grandchildren, Elynn and Aaron Parks, Commerce Twp, Michigan; father, Henry (Alice) Nickleberry, Henderson, Nevada; one sister, Sharon Nickleberry, Detroit, Michigan; five brothers, Mitchell (Dorothy) NIckleberry, Saginaw, Michigan, Robert (Vickie) Nickleberry, Van Nuys, California, Von (Rosa) Nickleberry, Saginaw, Michigan, James Leroy Nickleberry, Warren, Michigan, Harvey (Naema) Nickleberry, Atlanta, Georgia. Sandra also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends including special friends, Elene Hall and Bea Brooks.
Sandra was preceded in death by her mother Armella L. White and one niece Patti Ann Griffin. DatesSunrise: July, 30, 1944
Sunset: December 28, 2012
Visitation: Paradise Funeral Chapel Obituaries
Service Plans: Paradise Funeral Chapel Obituaries
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