Robert "Red" McKigney

ROBERT "RED" WILLIAM MCKIGNEY was born on January 23, 1930, to Edward and Mary (Hauger) McKigney in Tracy, Minnesota. He was baptized later that year and attended school in Tracy. Red began his farming career during his childhood. In 1950, he entered the U.S. Marine Corp where he honorably served his country during the Korean Conflict. He was discharged in 1952. Red worked for Swift in St. Paul, Minnesota for a short time before relocating to Marshall, Minnesota. He continued to farm alongside his uncle, Lambert Boerboom and also hauled cream for Schwan's. Red then began hauling milk for the creamery in Russell, Minnesota and continued to do so for over 20 years. On June 6, 1959, Red was united in marriage to Marceline Laux at St. James Catholic Church in Dawson, Minnesota. The couple made their home in Russell. After starting their family, they moved near Tyler, Minnesota in 1965 and began their own farm. They raised pigs at the McKigney Hog Farm, in addition to some cattle, chickens, and crops. Red and Marce continued to farm until 1983, when they moved into town in Tyler. Red remained busy working as a janitor at the Ruthton school and at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. He also tended bar for a number of years at the Garvin Bar in Garvin, Minnesota and later trimmed trees and mowed lawns all over Tyler. Marce preceded Red in death on August 23, 2006. Red retired in 2012, and relocated to Galeon Senior Living in Osakis, Minnesota where he died on November 22, 2020, at the age of 90 years, nine months, and 30 days.

Red was a member of St. Dionysius Catholic Church and the Senior Citizen Center in Tyler. He was always willing to lend a hand to others when they needed it and helped numerous community members move. He enjoyed dancing, playing cards, especially Pinochle, chopping wood, and driving his collection of tractors. Red was also a collector of caps, coffee mugs, and pens. Red loved to tell stories and jokes; he was quite the teaser. He could often be found chewing the fat with his friends and neighbors and will be remembered for the huge amounts of chili he cooked to share with them. He will be greatly missed.

Red is survived by his children, Michael (Kim) of Paynesville, Minnesota and Marie (Martin Aguilar) of San Francisco, California, siblings, Theresa Helm, of Michigan, Dorothy (Wally) Peters of Arkansas, Alice (Jim) Kinney of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, Geraldine Rasmussen of Glenwood, Minnesota, and Leo of Villard, Minnesota, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and siblings, Mary, Vince, Eddie, Helen, James, Joan, Charlie, Rita, and Louise.