Obituary: E. Helen McKinney

E. Helen McKinney was born in Oklahoma on Sept. 17, 1934, and passed away on June 9, in Atlanta, Ga.

Helen was the youngest daughter of the late Leonard McKinney and Irla Cochran, and sister to Mable Amador. She was a PhD linguist who was fluent in four languages and taught at universities in the U.S. (mostly Atlanta), Mexico, Brazil and France, among others.

Helen was a warm, vivacious, and intelligent woman who loved to travel and explore human anthropology through real life experiences and academic study. She traveled to every Latin American country (including Cuba), various countries in Africa and the Middle East, most European countries and lived abroad several times. Her travel stories alone could make for many novels.

Just as rare, she understood the importance of unconditional love for others, both for family and friends. She was truly a mentor of love to her son.

Helen is survived by her son, David Jeroslow; her nephews, Raul and Joaquin Amador; and niece, Sonia Amador.

A service and celebration of her life was held at Arlington Memorial Cemetery in Sandy Springs, Ga., on Wednesday, June 29, at 10:30 a.m.

Donations in her memory may be made to a charity specified at her memorial.