Serlena Sallie (Smith) McKinney

An old woman going a lone highway, Came, at the evening cold and gray, To a chasm vast and deep and wide. Through which was flowing a sullen tide The old woman crossed in the twilight dim, the sullen stream had no fear for him; But she turned when safe on the other side and built a bridge to span the tide. “Old woman,” said a fellow pilgrim near, “You are wasting your strength with building here; Your journey will end with the ending day, you never again will pass this way; You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide, why build this bridge at evening tide?” The builder lifted her old gray head; “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “There followed after me to-day, a youth whose feet must pass this way. This chasm that has been as naught to me to that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; They, too, must cross in the twilight dim; Good friend, I am building this bridge for them!”

Reflecting on the life of Mrs. Serlena Sallie Smith McKinney, a Mother, a Grandmother, a Great-Grandmother, a Great-Great Grandmother and a True Believer in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Serlena was the youngest daughter of the late Charlie and Sallie Benjamin Smith who was born August 15, 1914 in Waynesboro, Burke County, Georgia. She was reared in a loving Christian family with one sister and two brothers. She received her early childhood education in Waynesboro prior to the family relocating to Augusta, Georgia. At an early age she was baptized in Waynesboro and she later joined Tremont Baptist Church in Augusta.

She relocated to Salisbury, North Carolina after the death of her first husband, Reuben Jones.  They were the proud parents of two daughters: Geneva and Mamie.  She met and married James McKinney, whom she met after joining First Calvary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Andrew Tutt. For many years she served as president of the Deaconess Board, president of the Willing Workers and president of the Missionary Board Unit #135. She also served on the Ushers Board, the Royal Ambassadors and taught Sunday School for several years. For two (2) consecutive years she was crowned Queen for Women’s Day; and was a Court of Calanthe member. Currently she was a member of Missionary Unit #1, the West End Community Club and the NAACP.

Serlena attended Rowan Technical Community College in Salisbury, North Carolina where she received her certified nurse’s assistant training. Serlena was employed at Rowan Memorial Hospital as a private duty nurse. She loved to share her faith and prayed daily for those on her prayer list. She did whatever she could to boost the morale of those who had lost hope. She was a proud woman and took very good care of her health; going for morning walks when she was able. Serlena loved her flowers, and could often be seen working in her garden planting and watering her flowers. During the summer months there would always be two (2) Boston Ferns hanging on her front porch. One of her favorite sayings was, “Let me have my flowers while I can still smell them”.

Today, we rejoice and give thanks to God for allowing us to have had her in our lives for these years and to be able to come together for her home going celebration. She has been a blessing to our family. We thank you God!

In addition to her Mother and Father, Serlena was preceded in death by her two husbands; her two brothers: Miller and Charles Smith; her sister, Mamie L. Mckie; her niece, Ora Munns Griffin; and her son- in- law, Robert D. Welborne II.

She is survived by two loving and devoted daughters: Geneva R. Jones, Washington, DC and Mamie J. Welborne, District Heights, MD; two grandsons: Robert D. Welborne III, Brandywine, MD and Leonard A. Altemus, Jr., Washington, DC; three granddaughters: Robbie Matoka Welborne (Ronald) Terry, Upper Marlboro, MD, Ave Maria (Milton) Sloane, Gaithersburg, MD and Matoka Teresa (Bernard) Walker, Richmond, VA; eight great  grandchildren: Robyn D. Welborne, Stephen R.. Cobb, Xavier J. Terry, Kenneth R. Welborne, Chaise Welborne Terry and Christian R. Welborne, Tatiana (Rhys) Joseph and Crystal Mayanja; three great-great grandchildren; three nephews: Robert (Edna) Munns, Augusta, GA, Charles (Marie) Smith, Pleasantville, NJ and Marion (Miriam) Griffin, Augusta, GA; a niece, Edna Munns, Pleasantville, NJ; a dedicated niece, Aurelia McKinney (Charles) Campbell, Salisbury, NC; faithful friends: Jacqueline Smith, W. Hartford, CT, Shirley Johnson, Ernestine Krider and Constance Wansley, all of Salisbury, NC; a host of other family and friends.

“Good night sweet Serlena, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest”

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