Delia Frances McKie was born on October 12, 1942, in Rice Station, Kentucky, to Laura Singleton and Francis Kirby. She found the love of her life, Thomas Melvin McKie, while he was stationed at Fort Knox. They married in 1965 in Coloma, Michigan, moved out to California soon after, and started to build their family. Better known as Dee to her family and friends, after a handful of jobs, she started her career working for local law enforcement at the Kern County Sheriff’s Office in Bakersfield, California, retiring in 2005. Her goal after retirement was to spend as much time with family (between her sisters and her sons), especially the grandbabies.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her three sisters, Flora Schneider, Virginia Lankford, and Linda Grimes; her husband, Thomas Melvin McKie; her granddaughter, Kallie Phoeba McKie; and her eldest son, Thomas Frank McKie.
She is survived by her younger son, Michael Wayne McKie; daughter-in-law, Amanda McKie, and their three girls, Makayla Caudle, Alyssa McKie and Kirsten McKie (Makayla’s husband and son, Ryan Caudle and Zaydyn McKie, respectively; Alyssa’s fiancé and daughter, Cedrick Gilbert and Maizie Gilbert, respectively); daughter-in-law, Stephanie McKie, and her children, Ashley Shorts and Thomas David McKie (Ashley’s husband and son, Christopher Shorts and Maverick Shorts, respectively).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a heavy heart, we say goodbye to our memorable and influential grandmother. While our hearts
are broken, we will reflect on the many cherished memories shared, and rejoice in knowing that she is
fully healed and in Heaven. Our Grandma Dee was a woman of unconditional love, kindness, and a
constant source of warmth and guidance to our family and those around her. She welcomed everyone
with open arms and a warm smile. We will honor her memory in many ways – by sharing circus peanuts
and Dewars chocolates, making Beanie Weenies as a comfort meal, and playing endless card games
around a table full of love and laughter, while listening to Pat Green and Vince Gill. She always told us,
“if there is ever a tomorrow when we are no longer together, there is something we must always
remember. We are braver than we believe, stronger than we seem, smarter than we think, and loved
more than we could ever know.” She would remind us of these things daily and we will hold these things
close to our hearts as we navigate through the many emotions that come with grief. 
Lamentations 3:32 says, “Though He brings grief, He also shows compassion because of His unfailing
love.” We find comfort in God’s promise that we will be together again one day. Until then, we will keep
her memory alive as we share stories of her witty humor and beauty with our children. So Grandma, “Go
Rest High on That Mountain” and send us reminders of your love as we know you will walk alongside us.
We love you today, tomorrow, and forever! --MaKayla, Alyssa & Kirsten
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heaven gained another Angel, my grandma, Delia McKie. She was a great woman, strong, loving, caring
and at times stubborn. Grandma, you will be truly missed and loved by everyone. I will make sure to tell
Maverick stories about who you were and show photos of our life together. He will know he was very
loved by you! I miss and love you. –Ashley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love you and miss you, Grandma! --Tommy