Mrs. Edna Guin McKeithen

Edna Guin McKeithen, died February 28, 2016, in Laurinburg, NC, surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Southern Pines, North Carolina, on May 2, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Daniel R. and Ada Baker Guin.

Mrs. McKeithen graduated from Farm Life School and Presbyterian School of Nursing in Charlotte, NC. On September 3, 1949, she married Leighton B. McKeithen, Jr., of Cameron, NC, a WWII veteran, Davidson graduate, and seminary student at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va, whom she met when he was conducting her grandfather’s funeral at Philippi Church in May of 1947 while serving as a seminary intern in several rural churches in the area. While Mr. McKeithen completed his divinity degree, Mrs. McKeithen worked as an RN with a specialty in gerontology both in hospital and as a private RN for several patients. Upon Mr. McKeithen’s completion of seminary, the couple moved back to North Carolina to serve churches across the eastern part of the state and to raise three children. Through Mr. McKeithen’s retirement in 1987 and the following twenty years in twelve interim positions in a number of area Presbyterian churches, Mrs. McKeithen was the minister’s partner in many aspects of church life, becoming particularly adept at organizing and directing weddings. During the 1980s, she worked alongside and supervised the workers at Scots Hill Floral Nursery in Cameron, NC, raising, tending and marketing azaleas, camellias, and rhododendron at the wholesale nursery she and her husband owned for 15 years.

While raising three children, Leighton McKeithen, of Berwyn, PA, Madge McKeithen, of Laurinburg, NC, and Danny McKeithen, of Atlanta, GA, Mrs. McKeithen worked as a volunteer at Cape Fear Valley Hospital and was active in many aspects of the churches her husband served. During the two years the couple lived in Charlotte, NC, Mrs. McKeithen resumed nursing, on staff at Sharon Towers Retirement Village. In retirement, Mrs. McKeithen was Mr. McKeithen’s constant companion and assistant in the beekeeping and honey making business they loved and operated for fifteen years as well as his assistant in leading many tours to Italy and Israel for former Veterans and members of the churches they served. Both of them traveled often to visit their children and grandchildren – in Atlanta, Kentucky, Nashville, New Jersey, and New York – and often received family for 20 years in their last Fayetteville home prior to their move to Scotia Village in Laurinburg in 2007.

From 2009 through 2013, Mrs. McKeithen was faithfully seen and cheerfully engaged by many at Scotia Village as she made her daily trips on foot from the independent living cottage she had shared with Mr. McKeithen for their first two years at Scotia Village to the skilled nursing sections to which he had been moved.  While in Laurinburg, she continued to keep up with Fayetteville friends, especially those dear to her at Highland Presbyterian Church. Her grandchildren loved her as an avid sports fan and always a fan of each of them, and her children as a steady hand on the tiller, strong and caring.  Many came to know these parts of “Miss Edna” over her last three years at Scotia Village.

She is survived by her three children, ten grandchildren, seven nephews, and five nieces.

Services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at Cameron Presbyterian Church with burial following at Cameron Town Cemetery.  A reception will follow in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, gifts in Mrs. McKeithen’s memory may be made to Scotia Village, Highland Presbyterian Church, and Scotland Regional Hospice.

Services are entrusted to Sullivan’s Highland Funeral Service & Crematory in Fayetteville.