Melinda Claire McKinney, daughter of Kenneth Patrick McKinney and Mary Anne (Stickel) Armstrong, was born on June 20, 1988, in Frederick, Maryland. She passed away on Sunday, October 8, 2006, at her home in Shenandoah, Iowa, at the age of 18.
The first year of her life was spent in Frederick, Maryland. From 1989 through 2002 Claire lived in Brunswick, Maryland. She attended Brunswick Elementary School (K-5) and Brunswick Middle School (6-8). In 2002, she moved to Essex, Iowa, before moving to Shenandoah in 2003. Claire attended Essex High School (9-12) graduating with the Class of 2006. She was currently attending Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri. Claire loved the performing arts and had a special love for music. She played both the piano and the saxophone, and loved to sing. She was a member of the Essex High School Choir and was often asked to perform the National Anthem at sports events in Essex. She was a member of the Essex High School Band and the Essex Jazz Band. She was very fond of plays and musicals and had roles in the Essex School plays. She participated in Basketball Cheerleading, E-Stars, Speech Competitions, the Miss Essex Pageant, Softball, Track, Show Choir, and was voted Most Likely to Succeed by her Senior Class. She had a special love for musicals and especially enjoyed the soundtracks from "Wicked", "Rent" and "Moulin Rouge". She also admired singer Josh Groban and often posted on his Internet site.Claire was majoring in Music while attending Northwest Missouri State University and planned to be a Music teacher. She was also a proud member of the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcat Marching Band. Some of Claire's favorite hobbies were reading, writing stories and poetry, chatting and posting on Internet bulletin boards, scrapbooking and listening to music. Claire worked briefly for The Depot in Shenandoah and was most recently employed at the Shenandoah Pizza Hut until the time she left for college. Claire was a member of Saint Athanasius Roman Catholic Church in Vienna, Virginia.

Preceding Claire in death were her grandmother, Kathleen McKinney; great grandparents, Genevive and George Peters and Pearl and Andrew Kasecky. Survivors include her mother, Mary Anne Armstrong of Shenandoah, IA; father, Kenneth McKinney of New Market, MD; step-father, Jason Armstrong of Shenandoah, IA; stepmother, Michelle McKinney of New Market, MD; three sisters, Alexandra Armstrong of Shenandoah, IA, Brynne McKinney and Elle McKinney, both of New Market, MD; three brothers, Christopher McKinney, Ryan McKinney and Jacob Armstrong, all of Shenandoah, IA; grandparents, Peter and Linda Stickel of St. Mary's, KS, Warren McKinney of Elkton, MD, Michelle and Kenneth Armstrong of Essex, IA, David Cook of Jessup, MD; great grandmother, Mildred McKinney of Mt. Airy, MD; uncles and aunts, Christa Stickel and Charlie Arnold of Frederick, MD, Mike and Milli Wall of Timonium, MD, Todd and Barbara Hagemann of Raleigh, NC, Nikki and Paul Garner of Bellevue, NE, Jamie Vanatta of Shenandoah, IA; ten cousins; several great aunts and uncles; other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services were held on Friday, October 13, 2006, at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Shenandoah. Celebrant was the Rev. Jim Gubser. The 2006 Class song, "Time Flies By", was performed by Jayde Duysen and Nick Eisenhower. Other music was "You're Still You", "Seasons Of Love" and "To Where You Are". Attending the memory register were Stephanie Armstrong and Carli Ross. Ushers were Christopher McKinney and Caleb Kinney. Honorary casket bearers were Jacob Armstrong, Paul Hughes, John Racine and Tim McConnaughey. Casket bearers were Jason Armstrong, Ryan McKinney, David Groth, Charles Arnold, Paul Garner and Kenneth Armstrong. Interment was in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Shenandoah.