Priscilla McKinney

Priscilla Carol (Tolson) McKinney, 81, passed away on May 10, 2026, in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.  Priscilla was born on December 12, 1944, in Byars, Oklahoma, to Howard and Willma (Hunt) Tolson. She grew up in McAlester and met Buck “Mack” McKinney while attending business college in Oklahoma City. They married on March 6, 1964, and shared 62 years of marriage together. They made their first home together in Midwest City, Oklahoma, before settling in Cherokee, Oklahoma; Kiowa and Colby, Kansas; and Okolona, Arkansas. 

Earlier in life, Priscilla worked as a secretary, putting her business college education to good use. She later became a devoted homemaker to raise her children — a role she embraced wholeheartedly and considered her greatest calling.  She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of McAlester, Oklahoma, where she attended with her parents and brothers. Her faith and her family were the foundations of her life. 

She was a talented seamstress who made most of her own clothing growing up — a skill she carried with her throughout her life. She could mend, alter, or create just about anything with a needle and thread, and took great pride in her work.  She was an avid card player and dominoes player, spending hours on end around the table with family and friends — often well into the night. She taught her children, grandchildren, and many friends and family to play, passing along her love of the game. And while she had a knack for beating her opponents, some have jokingly claimed her secret was simple: she always kept score. 

She loved boating, camping, and fishing with her son Jeff, and they had many fond times riding their horses together when he was younger. She made it a priority to attend as many activities as possible for both of her children while they were growing up.  Priscilla and Robyn shared a bond that went beyond mother and daughter — they were best friends. They loved shopping together, planning parties for every occasion, and spending hours in the kitchen side by side. Some of their most treasured moments were the late-night talks about life, love, and growing up — conversations that could go on for hours and never felt long enough. 

Priscilla was a great cook and an even better baker, always ready with a meal for friends, family, and surprise guests alike. Her famous chocolate pie recipe is rumored to date back to World War II, when her mother Willma sold pies to help pay the bills. Priscilla carried on the tradition and passed the recipe along to her daughter Robyn, who has since passed it on to her daughter Tatum — spanning four generations of family love baked into every pie.  Priscilla had a gift for making everyone feel like family. Her door was always open, and her children’s friends knew they could turn to her for advice, a listening ear, or a warm meal. Many of Robyn’s friends lovingly called her their second mom — a title she wore with pride.  She traveled extensively with her family — her parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, children, nieces, and nephews. She loved visiting national parks and historical estates, and the planning was half the fun. Some of Robyn’s fondest memories were made on those trips — the long drives, the laughter, the unexpected detours, and the time spent simply being together. For Priscilla, it was never about the destination — it was about having her family close. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Jeff McKinney, and her brother
Troyce Tolson.

She is survived by her loving husband, Buck “Mack” McKinney; her daughter, Robyn Odell and husband Zack; her daughter-in-law, Tammy McKinney; her brother, Gary Tolson; her grandchildren, Natalie Odell, Gage Odell, Asher Odell, Tatum Odell, Nic Greenhalgh, and Josh Greenhalgh; and her niece, Chanel (Tolson) Katic.  Above all else, Priscilla lived for her children and her most precious and beloved grandchildren — who always knew her simply as “Momma.” They were the center of her world and the joy of her life. Her grandchildren were always excited to stay over at Momma’s, knowing the fun that awaited them — staying up way past bedtime, learning to bake in her kitchen, unwrapping the special gifts she always seemed to have ready, and trips to the waterpark. The fun times at Momma’s never ended. Whether she was teaching them games around the kitchen table — Uno, Old Maid, Crazy Eights, dominoes, and anything else she could deal or shuffle — sneaking them sweets when no one was looking, or sharing the same lessons about life and love that she once passed on to her own children, Priscilla poured her whole heart into her grandchildren. Her love was steady, fierce, and unconditional — the kind that made everyone around her feel like they mattered most.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Priscilla’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org).