Thomas “Tom” McKinney, 85, passed away peacefully in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, on Monday, June 22, 2026, the day after Father’s Day. He was born in 1940 in his parents’ home in Greenville, South Carolina, to Ruby and Raymond McKinney. He entered the world at the tail end of the Great Depression and as World War II was beginning. A world that was about to change, much as he would change the lives of those around him.

Tom married Camille in 1961, beginning a partnership that lasted 65 years. Camille was his wife, sidekick, sounding board, and the calm hand behind much of the life they built together. She advised him, supported him, traveled with him, helped guide him and occasionally reminded him that even Tom McKinney could benefit from another opinion.

Tom loved her deeply.

Together, Tom and Camille raised their sons, Brent and Mark and created a life full of family, friendships, music, travel and adventures (with Tom always ready to step in whenever things were, clearly, in need of a little “expert” direction.)

Family was the true center of Tom’s life. For many years, more than 30 relatives would descend upon Tom and Camille’s beach house on Pawleys Island for Thanksgiving, filling it with children, grandchildren, conversation, laughter, food and the sort of happy commotion that usually benefited from a little (or a lot) of Tom McKinney guidance. At those Thanksgivings, Tom carved the turkey, roasted the oysters, doled out bingo money and made sure the day proceeded according to plan. His plan, naturally.

He loved taking his grandchildren crabbing in his Boston Whaler so they could help catch part of that night’s dinner. The kids leaned over the side of the boat as crabs piled up in the bucket, while Tom directed the mission and kept everyone and everything on a straight and narrow course. Tom has also led a Thanksgiving conga line or two in his day. Most of his friends would say that he led the conga line through life as well, gathering people behind him and making sure no one missed out on the ride. And if their ride was bumpy, they were lucky to have Tom around. Those Thanksgivings were crowded, noisy, imperfect, and wonderful. They were the kind of days that seemed ordinary while they were happening and became priceless with the passing of time. Along with leftovers, most people carried home a piece of advice, a new bit of knowledge or a straight-up firm opinion from Tom.

He made adventure part of his children’s lives. Trips to the beach were a constant from the 1970s through the 1990s. He developed a deep love for the marshes, birds, wildlife and coastal landscape of South Carolina. He could spend hours watching the ocean, the marsh or the sun setting. He loved nature.

In the 1970s, the McKinneys stayed at a friend’s beach house on Pawleys Island named End of the Rainbow. It was there that Tom created his superhero persona, “Captain Rainbow,” whose costume consisted of a rainbow towel, a rainbow hat and a rainbow air freshener hanging over his nose. Captain Rainbow appeared and disappeared quickly, often with little warning, but he always left happiness behind.

Tom also took the family camping and made repeated trips to the Land of Oz in the mountains of North Carolina. For a time, he drove a green Triumph Spitfire convertible. It was a very small car, but he loved it and that little car fit him perfectly. It was free-spirited and impossible to overlook, just like Tom.

In 1971 during the Come See Me festival, Tom and his frog, Jeremiah, won the frog-jumping contest when Jeremiah leaped an impressive 12 feet, 8½ inches. It was the sort of achievement that might seem unusual in another family but somehow fit comfortably into the life of Tom McKinney.

Tom’s youngest son, Mark, remembers one day around 1978 when his father walked out of the bathroom and had shaved off his beard. Tom had worn that beard for all eight years of Mark’s life and Mark was shocked because it seemed as though his dad had very quickly transformed into another man. Mark eventually figured out that his dad had not really changed. That would remain true for the rest of Tom’s life. No matter what was going on around him, he did not change himself.

Tom occasionally learned a lesson himself.

One Christmas morning, after the presents had been opened, he decided the fireplace was the ideal place to dispose of all the wrapping paper all at once. It was an efficient plan right up until he set the chimney on fire. Tom received an unexpected lesson that morning about holiday safety…and about the risks of approaching even a simple chore with a bit too much enthusiasm.

His favorite saying was, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.” If you needed your oil changed, he would say, do it today, not next week. If the grass needed cutting, do it today, not tomorrow. It was practical advice and he plainly stated it at each and every opportunity.

He loved children and never hesitated to introduce himself. At restaurants, he would walk right over to a table, strike up a conversation and bring a smile to both the kids and their parents. It was the same with dogs. He rarely met a child or a dog he didn’t greet with huge affection.

Music was another constant in his life. Tom loved playing the guitar and if the sound of strumming carried through the air, there was a good chance Tom McKinney was somewhere nearby. The same could be said for the smell of roasting oysters or boiled peanuts.

Tom had taste buds of his own. He enjoyed flavor combinations that included peanut butter, mayonnaise and banana sandwiches (yes, all three together.) He would eat pretty much anything but he really loved a big glass of cold buttermilk with cornbread soaking in it. An occasional visit to Waffle House always made him very happy. He liked his hash browns smashed, covered and smothered, for the record.

Tom loved being outdoors and on the move. He enjoyed family ski trips to Colorado and co-owned a sailboat named So Fine with friends. Tom and his friends sailed the boat through the Bahamas, while Camille (displaying sound judgment) left the sailing to them. The boat was appropriately named. Tom had a way of recognizing the beauty of the world around him and finding life “So Fine.” He never complained.

He also loved golf and especially treasured trips to St. Andrews in Scotland with his son and grandsons. He cherished every moment and likely shared more than a few life lessons. After all, golf gave Tom one more way to teach. In fact, one of Tom’s best friends was blind and the two of them still managed to play golf together. Of course, Tom provided guidance for him shot by shot and they figured out a way to make it happen.

Tom attended Furman University and graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 1965. He then began a legal career that would span more than 50 years in Rock Hill and throughout York County.

His law office stood in the heart of Rock Hill, where generations of clients came seeking help, reassurance, and the benefit of Tom’s judgment. His children remember growing up with the telephone ringing and their father talking with clients, answering questions, calming fears and helping people through some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Tom was not a large man but few people ever described him as small. With his familiar mustache, unmistakable bowlegs, and often a cowboy hat, he had a presence that filled a room. He might arrive at the courthouse in an old pickup truck, but once he stepped inside, everyone knew Tom McKinney was there. He had a natural instinct to stand with those who needed him. As a criminal defense attorney, Tom believed every person deserved to be heard and treated fairly, particularly when the rest of the world had already reached a verdict.

Over the course of his career, he affected the lives of people throughout South Carolina. Many considered him one of the finest lawyers in the state. He was respected not only for his intelligence and ability in the courtroom but also for the fairness and empathy he showed toward people in trouble. He understood that a person could make a mistake (or be accused of one) and still deserve dignity, compassion and someone willing to stand beside them.

Tom was one of the smartest men most people had ever met. He was curious, well-read, quick-minded and always willing to explain how something ought to be done. He trusted his own judgment and those who knew him best had to concede that he was right often enough to make arguing with him a questionable strategy.

He was also a free spirit with little interest in simply following the crowd. He could stand in a room with a thousand people who disagreed with him and still rise to say exactly what he believed. In fact, a room where nobody agreed with him may have been one of his favorite places to speak.

Friends, relatives, neighbors and clients sought his advice on nearly everything from law, money, politics, family, property, repairs and life choices. Tom rarely encountered a subject on which he had nothing to offer.

For the final ten years of his life, Tom and Camille lived in Mount Pleasant, where their neighbors came to know and love him. Until very near the end of his life, Tom continued to “hold court” in his garage. Neighbors stopped by to visit, talk, laugh, seek advice and hear Tom’s thoughts on nearly every subject imaginable. He kept dog treats ready for the neighborhood dogs and candy for the kids. The garage became a gathering place built around friendships, stories and the force of the personality that was Tom McKinney. They also walked away a little changed. His neighborhood will feel different without him. So will every family gathering. Everyone who crossed paths with Tom remembered him.

Tom had an independent mind, a strong voice and a loyal heart. He could be stubborn, generous, commanding, funny, brilliant and deeply loving. Sometimes all before lunch.

Life will be quieter without him.

Tom is survived by Camille; his sons, Brent and Mark; Brent’s wife, Terri; his grandchildren, Drew and his wife Stephanee, Cameron and her husband Brigham and Justin and his partner DJ; his great-grandchildren, Junuh, Eloise, Thompson, Jayce and Dune; his sister, Gloria Hawkins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ruby and Raymond McKinney and his sister, Betty.

There will be no official funeral or memorial ceremony. Friends and family are invited to remember Tom in whatever way feels right to them and, if they choose, to create gatherings or ceremonies of their own.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the American Heart Association.

A book about Tom’s life, Standing for the Defense: The Life and Legacy of Tom McKinney, written by his son Mark McKinney, is available here:

https://www.standingforthedefense.com/product-page/standing-for-the-defense

To see the family’s 2009 Thanksgiving video go here: https://vimeo.com/7923111

Arrangements are by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel. A memorial message may be sent to the family on our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.